Recultivation Project
by UberDuper
Summary: They didn't fall into despair, instead escaping before they could be converted. The unlikely trio stayed together while the world was ravaged, surviving on their lonesome until a certain foundation found them. Now they've got a whole lot more to deal with. [Alternate SDR2 Scenario]
1. Prologue 1: Hope's Peak

**Disclaimer**:** I don't own any of the characters or the concept of SDR2. I just came up with the story.**

Hey guys, here's another story from me. The concept for this one was one I just came up with on the spot. Namely, what if the mole (or moles in this case) for the Future Foundation was a different person? The first few chapters will be background, and I hope to get into the actual story around chapter three or four? If I get that far of course. As a note, there will be spoilers for the entire game here, especially in these first few chapters, and then later on when 'endgame' nears. Anyway, that's all I think I need to say here, so uh... enjoy.

* * *

Hope. Idiocy. Instinct. These were their reasons for running away. At least, that's what they told each other. Gundam knows the real reason though. The thing that brought them together. Fear. They are afraid. No matter how many times the white-haired boy proclaims his love of hope, no matter how many times the short girl snarks about how stupid everyone else was, no matter how many times he himself says his instincts told him to leave, he can tell that they're all afraid. That's why they remain together. They are afraid. Of being alone, of their old friends, of the world. They are young after all, Gundam ponders. Granted, it's been years since the beginning, but still. While he's lost in his thoughts, his ears catch the argument going on in the background.

"Why are you such an idiot?! You realize they _base_ here, right? We left this place for a reason! This is the last time _you _lead, you doofus!" Saionji clenches her fists, glaring at the boy she's arguing with.

"Because I actually do my research, Saionji." Komaeda takes her insults in stride, playing with the tab on their last can of soda.

"Yeah, maybe research on how to get us killed!" Komaeda scoffs at her remark.

"Please. If anyone would get us killed, it's you. No offense though. I mean, at least your talent is more amazing than anything I could hope to achieve." His face darkens in excitement, and Saionji punches him on the arm.

"Stop it." Komaeda shakes himself out of his stupor, nodding. Gundam takes this lull to get some information as to why they're sitting in this pathetic lean-to on the outskirts of the grounds of Hope's Peak Academy. The epicenter of this entire fiasco.

"Komadea. Why are we here." Gundam silences Saionji with a finger, seeing her about to speak. She bristles, clearly upset, but stays quiet and turns back to Komaeda. The pale teen smiles, more gentle this time.

"They're gone." This sends a jolt through Gundam's body, and Saionji clearly feels the same way. They stare at the Luckster for a moment before Saionji finds her words.

"What do you mean, they're gone?"

"They left the school. Adios, goodbye, poof. Gone. I don't know where they went, but they left. The school's empty." Gundam gets angry.

"Why did we build this ridiculous attempt at a home here then? What was the purpose of this unscrupulous tomfoolery?!" His companions glance at him, and the feeling subsides. They're just keeping him in check. He apologizes. "I... sorry." Komaeda nods and continues.

"Because I wanted to make sure it actually is deserted. We don't want to find anyone there, especially... you know." The three of them share a moment of solemn silence. They think of the Super High School Level Despair. Most of them had committed suicide, gruesomely and with other casualties when Junko Enoshima had been killed in the 'School Life of Mutual Killing'. They had seen it on TV, on the few that hadn't been broken in the chaos of the time before. But some of the Despair didn't go down, and they all feared it was their former friends.

"So... why are we here then, huh? If it's empty, we shouldn't give a_ fuck_ if it's still here, should we?" Saionji widens her eyes, leaning forward to stare hauntingly at Komaeda. Gundam grabs her shoulder and pulls her back lightly. She shakes her head, shooting a relieved look at Gundam before settling back onto the crate she sat on.

"On the contrary! We should be ecstatic that it's still standing!" Komaeda beams happily. "You guys know about the Future Foundation, right?" Gundam and Saionji share a glance before nodding. "Good. It's good this place is standing because they're obviously going to come here!" Komaeda grins and Saionji leans back in surprise. Gundam raises an eyebrow.

"You know this how?"

"Tanaka, Tanaka, Tanaka. Some of the _greatest _minds in the world lived at this school. And they continued to do things here even after the event. Of course the Future Foundation will come here! They wouldn't do anything else!" Despite how ridiculous it sounds, Gundam still lets some hope flow into him. If they could just get into the hands of the Future Foundation...

"Well what are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Saionji hops off of the crate, part of her kimono ripping as it gets caught in a crack. She just yanks the strip of cloth out of the crack and stuffs it into a fold in her clothing.

"That's the spirit!" Komaeda jumps up off of the ground as well, grinning ear to ear. Gundam hauls himself to his feet and follows the other two, through the gate to the grounds of the once prestigious school.

* * *

The trio roam the halls of the school building. It's dark, musty, and quiet. Gundam doesn't like it at all. It reeks of evil. Saionji, despite claiming otherwise, is clearly scared and clings to Gundam's side. The animal breeder flares out his coat, drawing the girl in and holding her close as the material settles around her. They wander the slightly familiar halls, eventually ending up in what is likely the underground garage. The sight they find is disturbing to say the least. Gundam gasps, Saionji whimpers, and Komaeda chokes back a scream. They find a giant block covered in dried blood. From the cracks covering the bottom, it's clear it had slammed into the ground and crushed something, or someone, underneath it. The block had been pulled up slightly, and a mutilated body lays under the center. The three stand motionless, just staring at the scene. Gundam remembers the televised murders, and the death of Junko Enoshima. And it all comes back to him. He looks away, dry heaving. He catches a glimpse of the knife and the machete and the shears next to the body. They had... cut her up. Taken parts from her. The original despair herself. The scene is too much, and it takes Saionji bursting into tears to pull them away.

The group heads up the stairs, placing themselves on a ruined bench in the main foyer. They stay quiet, huddled together, and try to forget the scene they just observed. The two boys sit with their legs stretched out, shoulders touching, and Saionji lays in Gundam's lap, sobbing quietly. It's a moment of weakness for all of them. Komaeda suddenly stands up, almost causing Gundam to topple over.

His voice is shaky, but Gundam hears the intent in it when he says, "C'mon guys. We can't let this take us down. We're so close. So close to rescue, to freedom, to hope! We have to persevere! To fight! This is our chance to show just how strong our hope really is!" Saionji sniffles and buries her face in Gundam's scarf. The animal breeder himself sighs, patting the dancer on the back. He stares at Komaeda for a moment before nodding.

"I... believe you are right. Now is not the time to be rendered helpless. We have seen such things before. Let us find rooms in which we can stay." He stands up, keeping Saionji in his arms. She tries to protest, but slumps against him after a few moments, resting her head on his shoulder.

They wander the halls, stepping over rubble and wreckage. Moving up to the second floor over rotten stairs and, disturbingly, more bodies, they go to the first room they find. A plaque rests on the door, the words partially obscured by scratches and blood. 'Hyou..k. K..u.a, SH.L Ch..i..at.c'. When Komaeda tries the door, however, they find it locked. Just as Gundam turns to continue walking, Komaeda kicks the door, breaking the lock and causing the door to swing open with a rusty creak. The room is relatively fine, strangely enough, aside from rubble from the ceiling littering the floor and the peeling wallpaper. The room is similar to what they remember their rooms looking like, aside from the color scheme. They head over to the bed, which still has its sheets tucked in, as though the person that used to use the bed had simply left and was coming back later. They all know this isn't the case and blatantly ignore it. Komaeda's the first to get into the bed, yanking back the covers and taking the far side. Gundam lays Saionji next to him, the girl sniffling quietly. Gundam finally gets onto the bed, leaving them in a row.

* * *

Gundam spends the next few hours trying to sleep. It doesn't work out as well as he planned, Saionji's sniffles and Komaeda's snores keeping him awake. The snoring is normal, and he's learned to tune it out, but the sniffles are new and, to be honest, rather irritating. Gundam rolls over, looking at the girl next to him. Her cheeks are red from her rubbing them, her eyes continue to leak tears, her nose is running, she's an overall mess.

"Why do you weep?"

"I-I-I don't wanna talk about it, leave me alone..." Saionji chokes back a sob and ends up in a coughing fit. Gundam can hear her chest rattle with each cough and decides she needs to stop. He places a hand on her shoulder and says her name.

"Saionji." This causes her to burst into tears, near hysterics. Gundam withdraws his hand hastily and Komaeda sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He gives Gundam a look. The animal breeder tries to stutter out something to comfort the girl. "S-Saionji! What is- why- wha-"

She cuts him off, grabbing Komaeda's arm and crying into his hoodie sleeve. Komaeda shoots Gundam a dirty look, and he glares right back. "I-I d-don't want h-her to h-h-hurt h-herself any m-m-more!" Both boys look at each other in bewilderment.

"Saionji-san... what's wrong. Who do you not want to hurt themselves?" Komaeda runs a comforting hand over the top of her head, combing her hair with his fingers.

"M-M-My big sis Koizumi..." A look of realization dawns on Komaeda's face, and he wraps the dancer in a hug, whispering quietly into her ear. Gundam just looks confused.

"The photographer?" He looks to Komaeda for clarification.

"They were... close. I guess she... hurt herself? I'm not sure about the specifics. But Koizumi-san is one of the Despair now. Saionji-san, you shouldn't worry about her anymore. She's... lost to us." This makes Saionji push herself away from Komaeda, hitting him with a waterlogged glare.

"D-don't say that about her! She's not lost! We'll get her back! We just have to find her and-" Gundam cuts her off with a shake of the head.

"No Saionji, I am afraid he's right about this one. They... are gone. It's too late for them. They have been tainted by an odious disease that will never be able to be removed from the confines of their heads. Even we have been infected, so long ago. It was not enough to turn us, but we still feel the effects. They... have been bathed in it. They relish it. It is addicting to them. We cannot bring them back." Saionji looks between the two boys with a look of betrayal.

"F-f-fine. You two can stay here and _fucking rot in this hell hole!"_ Her outburst stuns them, long enough for her to stand up and leave the bed. "I'll go find her! And I'll prove that they can be saved! That she can be saved!" Komaeda holds out a distressed hand.

"S-Saionji-san. Your hope is admirable, but-" She cuts him off.

"Shut up! I don't care!" The dancer charges out of the room, and both boys share a panicked glance. In the few seconds it takes them to make up their minds, Saionji's footsteps are already fading away. They spring into action, immediately sprinting after the girl. But she's so much more graceful than them, and she's getting away. They vault over rubble, and Gundam has to grab Komaeda's wrist to prevent him from tumbling to the floor after one particularly large piece. They start to close the distance after the dancer trips over her own kimono, but she gains on them again. Gundam swears and releases Komaeda, figuring he can catch up. Using a broken pillar as a springboard, Gundam leaps forward, tackling the small girl. He wraps her in his arms and slides forward, taking the brunt of the force when they slam into the wall. The dancer slaps at him, and Gundam will gladly receive all of her blows if it means she doesn't leave. He wants to protect her, they've been through so much together, and although he'd rather not admit it, it would pain him for her to get hurt. Or worse. Komaeda catches up after a moment, and Saionji is still smacking Gundam.

"Saionji-san! That was way too dangerous! We're just trying to protect you, y'know..." They stare at each other for a moment, before a slam reverberates through the building. The trio turns, finding that they had run all the way to the entry foyer. The slam was the front door being smashed open. They look just in time to see a large amount of people pour through the wrecked doorway. They're dressed in what looks like... SWAT gear. The worst part about them, however, is the fact that every person has a machine gun, and every barrel is pointed in their direction. Fear shoots through Gundam. Is this how he dies? With his friends, mowed down by some crazy vigilante group or something? One of the soldiers pulls up a walkie-talkie and barks some words in English into it. Static hisses through the tense air, when the walkie-talkie buzzes to life with more English, sounding choppy and fuzzy through the speaker. The soldier nods, turning to the others and yelling out.

"Permission granted. Exterminate all targets. Gather all valuables. Leave nothing important." Some of the group breaks off, while others slowly inch towards the three. Gundam releases Saionji, quickly standing up and placing himself between the guns and his friends. One of the group that approaches them, which looks about to be thirty or so in size, nervously jabs at the animal breeder. "Stay back... S-Stay back! I'll shoot!" Gundam glares, taking another step forward, puffing out his chest. If he can't save himself, he'll save the others. He faintly hears Saionji's distressed 'Tanaka!' and Komaeda's 'Tanaka-kun, no!', but ignores them. It's just him and the gunmen now.

"You _dare_ approach the great Gundam Tanaka, ruler of the universe, and expect to get away with it?! Ha! You will not take the lives of my friends here, or I promise you a world in which you will never wake up from your nightmares! Your souls will be my playthings, your bodies my puppets! Behold the power of Gu-" He's cut off by a loud bang and a searing pain in his arm. It's enough to bring even him to his knees. The soldier who spoke before wails out some sort of apology, screaming 'I said I would' over and over. Komaeda and Saionji run up to him, the former ripping off the stray strip of cloth that had hung loosely off of Saionji's kimono and tying it around the wound. Gundam hisses in pain and Saionji tries to distract him.

"Big bro Tanaka, don't die, please don't die I'm so sorry, I'll never run away again just please don't die you can't." Tears form in her eyes, and Gundam wonders just how much tears a small girl like her could hold. With the commotion of dressing the wound, the trio didn't notice the circle of army men split, making way for two boys appearing to be a bit younger than them. The blonde boy glares at the soldiers, and they take another step back. The other boy, one with brown hair with an ahoge kneels down in front of Gundam. He sheepishly speaks up, making all three look at him.

"Augh, I'm so sorry. Me and Togami should have been here so much earlier, but we didn't think it was still this bad. Plus, the Despair could still have been here. Oh jeeze." He turns to this 'Togami' who Gundam assumes to be the blonde. "Togami, get a medic in here or something, please." Togami rolls his eyes and strolls out of the building. This leaves the boy alone with the three. Saionji glares at him.

"What do you want, huh? You think we're just playing nice? Your soldier just shot our friend!"

He sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. "Augh. You're right. But I really do want to help you guys. I'm Makoto Naegi. From the Future Foundation." Komaeda's eyes widen.

"Th-the Future Foundation?" Naegi nods.

"Yeah. We're kind of uh... cleaning up the world here. Why are you guys here anyway?"

"How do you know we're not Despair, huh?" Saionji glares at him again. Naegi just smiles.

"Because you three are friends. Despair don't have friends." Saionji sputters and turns back to Gundam. Naegi also turns to the animal breeder and smiles. "Well, even though we didn't expect to find anyone here, I have quite the offer for you. How about you and your friends join the Future Foundation with me? I promise I'll keep you safe. No more of this guns stuff." When the boy smiles, Gundam finds it hard to resist his demands. They just seem so reasonable, and fill him with hope. He glances at the others for confirmation. Komaeda nods eagerly, and Saionji pouts, but nods anyway. Gundam turns back to Naegi, who looks rather happy with himself.

"Fine. Now get me to a hospital before my blood begins to poison the air."


	2. Prologue 2: Future Foundation Base

**Note?:** Yeah, I actually did write another chapter for this. Woah, am I right? Anyway, I'm going to answer a few questions I've gotten here. Nanami and Usami will still be here, but will play a much smaller role. I wasn't planning on including exactly how I think the SDR2 cast fell into despair, but I might if I can fit it in. I chose these three for the story because they were three I didn't remember interacting with each other too much (it's been a while since I've read it though, so I dunno). I made Gundam awesome because that's how I imagine how he acts in a crisis. Taking charge and trying to fuck shit up.

Another quick note, trigger warning for gore-y stuff close to the end of this chapter.

* * *

A few months had passed, and the three non-despair had already recovered from their years out in the despair of the wastelands, as they were known. They had been feed actual food, given new clothes, and slept in clean beds. The Future Foundation had run a multitude of tests on them, and had performed a bunch of psychological research on them. They, as it turns out, were very, very valuable to the Future Foundation, having 'the Despair' but not having succumbed to it. Gundam stares out at the ocean through the frosted glass of the window. Some staff or something had taken Saionji and Komaeda to run a few tests, leaving Gundam alone. They don't let him go outside unsupervised for some reason, so he's forced to sit inside a lot. It's not like he's going to run away. Not without them anyway. He turns to the person who had approached him before they could speak. They seem surprised that he heard them, but not scared like the people who work here. It's one of the survivors. A girl, tan skin, ponytail, red track jacket. She greets him with a peppy bounce.

"Ah! Tanaka! Perfect! They want you down in the biolab!" Gundam huffs in acknowledgment. He hates being down there. Those sick tests they perform on the animals there makes him want to vomit. But he's here as a privilege and doesn't want to get kicked out or anything.

"Very well. Thank you, Asahina." He stands up slowly and, to his surprise, the swimmer grabs his wrist and pulls him along. He lets out a surprised grunt and stumbles after her, nearly tripping multiple times. "Wh-what are you doing?!"

"Just c'mon!" She happily drags him along, running through the pristine white corridors of this Future Foundation base with the animal breeder barely in tow. She speeds past the cafeteria, the gym, and even his room. Gundam glances back at the door leading to his residence. Well, the residence he shared with the dancer and the luckster. He wants to get Radiant Golden Phoenix Sho-N, a canary they had given to him when they had gotten here. The gentle avian had always helped calm his nerves, and now would have been a great time to have some support from the majestic flier. Unfortunately, Asahina has other plans, practically throwing him into the elevator when they get there. Gundam leans against the wall, out of breath from sitting around all the time. The girl with him seems perfectly fine, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She hits the biolab button, the elevator lurching into motion. Asahina chatters to him as they descend into the bowels of the building, into its concrete intestines and steel lining. She talks of swimming and exercise and donuts and other things, and Gundam finds it hard to believe someone like her survived a brutal session of murder spurred on by one of the most vile forces in the world. But she, along with Naegi, Togami, a girl known as Kirigiri, and two other bumbling fools, managed to make it out alive and take Junko Enoshima down along the way. It's rather impressive, to say the least. He realizes she's still talking.

"-But my favorite is probably chocolate glazed. I mean, yeah it's simple but it's simply amazing, you know what I mean?" Gundam is cut off before he can even start speaking. This is how 'conversations' with her usually go. It's somewhat refreshing, to be honest. "Yeah! But like, custard filled is good too! You know they make different kinds of custard just to put into donuts? It totally blew my mind the first time I heard of it like whaaaaaaat?" Just as she finishes, the elevator dings and the doors slide open. The swimmer reaches for his wrist again, but Gundam pulls away.

"I can walk." Asahina looks at him, head tilted, before rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.

"Oh! Of course! Hehe, sorry. Let's go though, they're waiting for us!" Gundam raises an eyebrow and runs after her, the swimmer racing off the instant the doors open all the way. Whom is waiting for them? He finds out when he turns a corner and nearly barrels into Togami, who grunts angrily at him. They're all there, and Gundam shares a confused look with Komaeda, who is standing off to the side with Saionji. He takes this moment to look over his companions. They were all a lot more healthy, but Saionji especially was a lot more different now that they had more optimal living conditions. She's so much taller than he remembered from the beginning, reaching the middle of his chest in height. She has also grown rather considerably in _other_ places too, and Gundam is rather glad that she's as short as she is. As for Komaeda, well, the boy is, more or less, the same as he was before, if a bit bulkier and with a bit more color in his skin.

"Big bro Tanaka!" The dancer runs over and wraps her arms around his waist. An unusually affectionate action. Gundam quickly yanks up his scarf and shoots an accusing glare over at Naegi, who shrugs at him with a sheepish smile. Saionji motions for him to lean down and he does, letting her whisper into his ear. "I had a bad dream last night..." Gundam pats her head comfortingly, straightening his back.

"It is fine. It was only a dream. You have nothing to fear now, for the great Gundam Tanaka is here to protect you!" He throws back his head and laughs, drawing a similar one from Komaeda. Saionji tries to hide her smile. Meanwhile, the six survivors watch them.

* * *

"Can we really trust them Naegi?" Togami doubtfully watches the trio laugh together. It's Kirigiri who responds to him.

"Who else can we?" She looks at Togami questioningly and the heir shakes his head.

"Anyone. Maybe one of the, oh I don't know, five thousand people working here? Or perhaps one of the employees of the Togami Corporation. People _I _trust?" Naegi wedges himself between the two, holding up his hands, a calming grin on his face.

"Hey, hey, hey. Let's not argue here. Look Togami-kun, I understand your hesitation, but these kids are our best bet to getting into their heads. They know, or um... knew them from before. Plus, we can't risk sending anyone else in. As much as I don't like to say it, these kids are not only our greatest, but also our most uh... expendable asset." Hagakure and Fukawa share a glance, and Asahina raises her eyebrows in surprise. Togami chuckles, closing his eyes.

"Finally taking some notes from the great Byakuya Togami, are you Naegi? Very well. Do as you please." The heir takes a step back, leaving the six in a loose circle. A crackle cuts through the air, and Hagakure fumbles for the radio strapped to his belt. The other five glance at him, and he nervously scratches at his head before putting the radio up to his ear.

"Yeah. Uh huh. Okay." The fortune-teller shoots a glance at Naegi, an anxious grin on his face. "They're ready, Naegi-chi. You're the one taking them down there, right?" The Super High School Level Hope glances around at his friends, scratching his cheek in disappointment when they all avert their eyes when he looks at them.

"Uh... yeah. I guess I am." Hagakure lets out a huge sigh, nudging Fukawa with his elbow.

"So glad, cause me and Fukawa-chi have some uh... 'important' things to do. Over there. On the other side of the building." Fukawa nods in agreement.

"Y-yeah. We want to be over there doing uh... work... things. Where it's safe. Bye." The two speed off, Asahina in tow, yelling at them to let her 'work' with them. Togami slips off without him noticing, leaving him alone with Kirigiri. The detective lays a gentle kiss on Naegi's cheek and walks away, mumbling 'good luck' as she passes him.

* * *

The trio looks up as Naegi approaches them. He clears his throat and simply says "Come with me please. We uh... need your help with something." He motions for them to follow and begins walking down one of the many corridors there. The three, somewhat reluctantly, follow. "So um... you guys are from the 76th and 77th classes, right?" They nod, and Komaeda clarifies.

"Me and Saionji-san are from 77th. Tanaka is from 76th. Why?" Naegi just shakes his head and continues leading them down what seem to be random twists and turns.

"I'll tell you when we're there."

It didn't take too much longer to get where Naegi was leading them. They stand in what appeared to be a cell block. Gundam hears sounds pertaining to large mammalian and reptilian creatures. Ah. This is where they barbarically hold those too large to be contained in minuscule glass boxes. Ugh. Naegi stops at the entrance to what appeared to be a high-security section of the containment cells area. He turns to the trio and sighs, a grim expression on his face.

"Okay guys. Here's the thing. I- we, the Future Foundation, have... recovered some uh... kids." Ice flows into Gundam's veins. He doesn't mean... "We- _I _think you may know them. If that uh... is the case, then I have an idea, but I just want to make sure." He places a hand on the door handle, glancing back at the three. "Guys I just... you need to remember that they're not themselves. I'll be there to pull you back, but don't... just be careful." With that, he pushes open the door, which beeps in acknowledgment, and walks further into the new area. Frozen outside the door with the others, Gundam can barely think, much less move. There's no way... It's a voice singing out melodically that catches their attention and draws them in. They stumble forward towards the voice and Naegi, who stands outside the first cell quietly.

"Naaaaeeeeegi. Come closer, I want to take your picture!~" Saionji gasps, breaking free from Gundam's hold, and sprints toward the cell. Komaeda and Gundam quickly follow, leading them to the first captive. Gundam recoils in surprise. The cell is more or less traditional, but, instead of bars, there is a pane of Plexiglas several inches thick. The dancer is pressed up against the glass, with the figure pressed up opposite to her being none other than Mahiru Koizumi. She's a filthy mess, Gundam notes. Her clothes are torn and soiled with both blood and dirt. She's covered in lacerations and bruises, mainly on her wrists and legs, and her cuts slowly ooze blood. The part that makes Gundam feel nauseous, however, is the fact that one of her wrists is wrapped in a bandage. While normally this wouldn't be too out of place, the part that makes him sick is that the hand attached to it isn't hers. The skin is too pale, bordering white, and the nails are long, red, and obviously fake. Gundam feels bile rising into the back of his throat. Saionji notices it and falls backwards, whispering 'no, no, no' over and over and over. Komaeda just stares forward in shock, his eyes empty. The photographer giggles dementedly, admiring the hand that isn't hers.

"Ah! I see you guys like my hand! Well... it's not reeeaaaaaally mine! But Junko-chan was so nice, she told me that when she died I could have it! Now I think of her every time I take an amazing picture! Although it is kinda hard, cause I can't move her fingers. But that's Junko-chan for you!" Saionji lets out a wail and scoots backwards, and Komaeda actually throws up. Koizumi's eyes cloud up, and she sniffles pathetically. "Aww... you guys don't like it? And here I thought I could get my camera back. There were some really good photos there..." It's now that Naegi switches off the speaker transmitting the sound from inside the cell. He grimaces before addressing the trio.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. But by your reactions, I can tell that you know her. I was going to show you the others... but we have records linking most of them to her," Naegi motions toward Koiuzmi, who has gone to sulk in the corner of her cell, "and since you obviously know her..." He shakes his head and steps over the puddle of Komaeda's vomit. He helps the luckster to his feet and Gundam helps up Saionji. The four head out of the cell block, and they're all silent all the way to the elevator. The three older kids are in shock. Saionji wraps her arms around herself, tears streaming down her face. Komaeda clutches at his head, muttering something about despair. Gundam feels sick and holds his stomach. It was true. They really did cut her up... he takes a deep breath to try to steady himself, but Koizumi's arm with Enoshima's hand floats into his mind and he starts coughing, feeling his stomach nearly release its contents with every rattling sound. And then Naegi does it again. Just like in the academy. They enter the elevator and Naegi turns to them with a smile on his face.

"Don't worry guys. I know what you saw was horrifying, I can relate. Kind of. But you can't lose hope!" The words shake something up in Komaeda, who straightens up with a smile. "We'll save them!" Naegi's comment sends a wave of warmth over Gundam, and he stops coughing. Naegi's voice fills him with hope, somehow. "They'll be they way they were before, I just know it! Trust me." Finally, Saionji snaps out of her stupor as well, wiping her face with the sleeve of her new kimono. Gundam understands why the other five survivors flock to the former luckster. "I promise you guys that it'll be sooner than you think. In fact, we're heading to the place it's going to happen right now!" The three turn to look at him in disbelief.

"R...right now?" Komaeda manages.

"Yeah. Just trust me, alright?" He presses a button and the elevator continues its descent.


	3. Prologue 3: VR Jabberwock

Gundam feels a sea breeze blow through his hair. He sits on the beach, watching waves lap gently at the shore. His mouth curves up into a smile as he hears the chittering sound of hamsters. The Four Dark Gods of Destruction, four of his dearest friends from when he entered the school, crawl all over his arms and clothes. The animal breeder leans against a palm tree, sighing in content, and closes his eyes, dozing off. This is a very relaxing place. Footsteps crunching on the sand make him crack open an eye, however.

"Halt. You shall come no further. Do you wish to be smote by the divine power of Gundam Tanaka? I will not hesitate to-"

"I think your hamsters are cute, Tanaka-kun." The lavender haired girl cocks her head, gentle smile adorning her face. The white rabbit next to her giggles.

"Huo-!" Gundam sputters, unsure of how this girl could just blatantly ignore his words like that. A light blush rises onto his cheeks, and he yanks up his scarf to hide it. The girl sits down next to him on the sand. "What do you want from me, thoughtful one?"

"We're just being friends. Duh." She smiles at him, and Gundam gets flustered. "You don't have to be so embarrassed." The girl chuckles. "We haven't even started. The others haven't even arrived." Gundam's face darkens. She catches the change and places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. They'll be different when they get here. Like they used to be." Gundam glances back at the lapping waves.

"I understand that is the intention. But you can never be too sure." The girl nods, and is about to respond when three pairs of footsteps approach. The two look up to find the rabbit, Komaeda, and Saionji. His friends look younger, like students again. Like they did when they entered school. Before the event. Saionji puts her hands on her hips.

"Big bro Tanaka, you're supposed to save the dating part for _after_ everyone is here." She places a hand over her mouth and giggles tauntingly. Gundam sputters, embarrassed and, to be honest, slightly offended. He's not exactly sure why he's offended, but he is. Komaeda laughs at Gundam's expression, then bumps Saionji lightly with his elbow. She bumps him back, and the rabbit addresses the girl.

"Chiaki-chan, it's time fow them to go." Nanami sighs, standing up.

"I suppose it is. Thank you, Usami-chan." Nanami helps Gundam to his feet, and he makes his way over to the platform partially obscured by sand on the beach along with Komaeda and Saionji. Nanami smiles softly at the three. "We'll see you guys later."

They wave at Usami and Nanami, and walls begin to pull themselves up from the sand, closing up around the platform. The beach, part of the virtual Jabberwock Island, begins to degrade, little cube shaped parts falling from the sky and sand and disappearing. Usami and Nanami slowly fade out of view. Gundam sighs as he feels the four hamsters on his person phase away as well. The trio stands silent as the walls click shut, leaving them in a closed off classroom. There's a click as the double doors serving as the exit unlock and swing open. They proceed through the doorway into the blackness beyond as the classroom dissolves behind them.

* * *

Gundam's eyes open suddenly, and he pitches forward, bonking his head on the glass of the pod he's in. It takes a moment for the disorientation to clear from his head. When he manages to remember what he's doing, the door to the pod hisses and swings upward. The animal breeder steps out of the vertical steel tube in time to see Saionji's release her. He helps her hop down, and another hiss signals that Komaeda's pod has opened up. They turn as he climbs out and smiles at them. A door on the other side of the small room opens, and Naegi happily comes in, followed by Kirigiri.

"It worked! This is so great!" The younger man smiles giddily and goes over to a laptop on a simple table near the beta pods, which pulse with a blue light before finally going dark. He leans over and types a few things into a file open on it. Gundam finds his voice, along with a slight grin.

"Ah, that it did. That island is surprisingly spacious. Just like its existing counterpart, I suppose." Saionji nods in agreement.

"Yeah! Who would have known we could blow off a few hours that easily?" The dancer picks at her hair, fixing the mess her long blonde locks had become while in the pod. Kirigiri chuckles.

"Looks like the time dilation feature is working as well."

"Huh?" Komaeda says, looking like Gundam feels. Confused.

Kirigiri drops the grin. "You guys were actually in there for an entire day, real-time." The trio look at each other in confusion and distress. "It's an experimental technology put in place to help increase the effects of the New World Program."

"Kyouko-san, no need to be so blunt..." Naegi scratches his cheek in embarrassment.

"They needed to know what they're getting into. If they're not comfortable with all aspects of the program then-"

"Woah woah woah. Are you implying that we _wouldn't _do this?" Saionji shoots Kirigiri a glare. "There's no way we wouldn't go in just because some time died-o-lation, right guys?" Gundam nods his consent and Komaeda responds with an 'of course'. Kirigiri turns to Naegi with a barely perceivable smirk.

"I told you, Makoto." Naegi raises his hands in defeat, then turns to the three older adults.

"Thanks for testing out the beta pods. We'll just make a few adjustments to the alpha pods and the machine should be ready to go in two or three days." Naegi clicks a few things, shutting down the laptop, and sighs. The group files out of the room, Naegi flipping off the light as they walk out of the room. Gundam turns to him as they walk down the hallway.

"Makoto Naegi... these 'alpha pods', unlike the beta pods... they remove memories of school life, do they not?" Naegi looks at him questioningly and nods.

"Yeah. Don't worry though, I had Alter Ego alter the three pods you guys would be using so that you guys would still remember your time here with the Future Foundation and your mission."

"I request you leave everything in, for all three of us."

"Wh-" Gundam cuts him off.

"The time I spent with them was... special. It is not something to just be erased, forgotten about. No, for your schemes to work, we must retain all of our memories." Naegi looks doubtful, but Gundam continues. "We have formed a bond, one that should not be broken. If you would not do it for me, do it for them." Gundam motions to Saionji and Komaeda, adults that were much older than they needed to be. "They are special to me. And I to them. I do not say this often... but... please." Naegi just smiles at him.

"Well of course. If you think it'll help."

* * *

The only illumination in the room is the gentle light of the laptop on the table next to the beta tubes as it shuts down. However, a hand reaches out from the darkness, tapping the mousepad. The computer springs back to life, and another hand comes into view, plugging a flashdrive into one of the laptops USB ports.

Izuru Kamakura pulls out the chair, gently placing himself into it. He has a limited amount of time as, even with his skills, he can only be kept unaware of for so long. He quickly activates the single thing in the flashdrive, an executable, and taps his foot impatiently as it downloads onto the laptop. A smile creeps onto his face as he reads the window that pops up. 'Enoshima .exe running'. Perfect. Whenever they link up this laptop with the New World Program, and he knows they will, the virus would infect it and her plan would be put into motion. And he himself made sure that it wouldn't be detected until it was too late. With that, Kamakura pulls out the drive and drops it casually into his pocket. Now all he has to do is deal with the two dead guards and reactivate the security cameras once he's back in his cell.


	4. Prologue 4: New World Program

Gundam glances over the twelve filled alpha pods. He sits on the edge of his pod, looking over at Saionji and Komaeda. The woman looks over at him with an uncharacteristically nervous grin. Gundam feels a tug at his heartstrings and musters up a courageous smile for her. Her features harden, and she just nods at him. Gundam turns to the white-haired man, already in his pod, preparing to pull the lid closed. He catches Gundam's gaze and beams at him. Gundam just shrugs. He can't help but still think of them as kids, despite how grown up they now are. Perhaps he wouldn't, had they had been able to be kids.

While he's lost in his thoughts, his friends have already slipped into their pods. The hiss of the lids sliding catches his ears, and he watches through the frosted glass as the insides of the two pods begin to glow green, like the others. The lights within pulse, and Gundam knows he's the last to enter the program. With a sigh, he swings his legs over into the pod and slides down into it. He pulls the lid shut and the pod immediately fills with a green light, as well as a small amount of gas that slows his mind and makes him tired. His vision begins to grow dark, and he can see the light begin pulsing the moment before his eyes close.

* * *

Gundam 'regains' consciousness in a black hallway, with a set of double wooden doors being the only other thing there. He shakes his head to get his bearings. Right. He's in the Future Foundation's program, the New World Program. He's supposed to... help the others recover. Somehow. With a shake of the head, he walks forward and pushes the door open. Five other people stand in the room. It appears others haven't arrived yet, for some reason. His eyes sweep over those there. Komaeda and Saionji sit in desks next to each other, trying to appear inconspicuous. A short, lavender haired girl chats up another with short, red hair. Nanami and Koizumi, Gundam remembers. Finally, a rather generous (physically speaking) boy stands at the front of the room, arms crossed. Gundam recognizes him instantly. Byakuya Togami. The five turn to look at him as he enters. Gundam chuckles.

"Ah, mortals. It seems I've been sent to some other plane of existence. Not to worry, I will break free from here yet. But first, I believe I was sent here. Yes, I will wait for now." Koizumi rolls her eyes, Nanami catching the motion and giggling. The AI girl waves discreetly at the trio, and Komaeda waves back. Togami just grunts and goes back to looking at the ceiling. Komaeda motions him over, and Gundam plants himself in a desk in front of Saionji's. He notices the difference in her appearance immediately. She's small, so much more than before. Just like she was in his vague memories of the beginning of his time at the school. The white-haired boy is slender, almost abnormally so, and is wearing that green jacket again.

"So... I guess it worked." Komaeda says, glancing at the door as it opens again. An overly muscled boy, if he could even be called that, marches carefully into the room with a comically small and chubby boy in chef's garb directly behind him. Nidai, Gundam knows, is the large one, but he only has a vague memory of the chef, and doesn't recall his name. Saionji makes a sound.

"Ugh. Hanamura." Gundam nods. That's his name. He ignores the newcomers, addressing Komaeda's statement.

"Apparently. And I assume the fact that we are having this conversation means we three still retain our memories." He speaks quietly, making sure none of the others heard him. Saionji responds with a quiet 'duh' and Komaeda nods. More kids have filtered into the room. A boy in a suit and a girl with silver hair Gundam identifies as Kuzuryuu and Pekoyama respectively. Soon followed by a group of three; A flashy girl, a sobbing girl, and a boy in a jumpsuit. Komaeda and Saionji seem to recognize them. Saionji seems to be rather upset at the presence of the first two, who she names Mioda and Tsumiki. Komaeda tells Gundam the boy is Souda. The last two people Gundam knows are Sonia and Owari, who walk into the classroom together. They seem somewhat disoriented, but easily slot themselves into Koizumi and Nanami's conversation. Gundam thinks this is everyone.

Unfortunately, it's not, and Gundam has no idea what they're waiting for. He remembers a supposed scripted start Naegi mentioned, having something to do with Usami, but the rabbit hasn't show up. Gundam starts to get irritated, and Komaeda tries to calm him down. Saionji had left the little group to go over and carefully wedge her way into the smallish girl's group off to the side.

"I do not understand. Everyone is here, are they not?" He taps his foot impatiently.

"I don't think so. We're still waiting for someone, I think. There are only fourteen people here, not counting Nanami. There were fifteen po-" Komaeda is cut off by the door opening. Everyone in the room turns to look at the newcomer. Gundam, for some reason, has no idea who this kid is. Average height, brown hair, white shirt, green tie. He turns to Komaeda for clarification, only to find the same confused look on the luckster's face. Komaeda tries to ask Gundam, "Who-"

"Well then. Looks like everyone's here." Togami speaks loudly, drawing everyone's attention to the front. Gundam, uninterested with whatever the imposter has to say, zones out, staring at the wall. Komaeda tries to get him to pay attention, but the animal breeder ignores him. They talk of things he already knows about. Why they're here, what happened to them, what in sam hill is going on. His thoughts go lazy, drifting randomly. Mainly, he thinks of these kids. These... are the kids he knew. Before they became monsters, feral beasts that would stop at nothing to please their leader, the wretched Junko Enoshima. Creatures that deserved to be abhorred for every loathsome act they performed. His thoughts are cut into by an unmistakable voice.

"Bingo! It seems everyone's here, so wet's begin!" Usami springs out from behind the podium, prancing around in a show-offy display. She talks to the, he supposes he should say former, Despair. They react somewhat understandably. Upset. Afraid. Confused. He slightly listens to the rabbit, but finds himself becoming bored again. As he daydreams, he hears the 'teacher' mention the words 'field twip'. He grins as Usami swings her stick around, and a blinding pink light appears on the ceiling. Gundam covers his eyes with his forearm and squints. So much more flashy than he remembers. And then the walls fall away, impacting the sand with a dull thud. The heat is the first thing that hits him. And then the sound of the gentle waves. And finally, the gasps and screams of his startled 'classmates'.

"Everyone, pwease calm down!" Usami tries to pacify the upset teens, leaving Gundam to try and pretend he's surprised and shocked. The rabbit launches into another lecture, this one about the island and peaceful living and whatnot. The others still try to pull the 'why are we here, where are we' nonsense. He's getting rather tired of his. Luckily, the AI ends her speech with a 'Let our 'Heart-Thumping Field Twip' begin!' The first response is the gentle 'wumph' of a body hitting the sand. Gundam snorts in humor at the sight of the unknown boy laying in the sand, having fainted. A few other giggles and scoffs resound through the crowed.

"Now now everyone. Wets not be mean! It's vewy vewy stwessful stawting out on a field twip!" The others brush it off, slowly dispersing. Usami offers to lead some people to the hotel, and a few follow her. Komaeda chats up a few people, and Gundam takes the time to look at Saionji. It seems the dancer is attempting to rekindle her prior relationship, if that's truly what it was, with Koizumi, who hesitantly accepts the girl's offers of friendship. Gundam scoffs as Komaeda comes up to him. The white-haired boy smirks when he finds out what Gundam is looking at.

"Jealous?" Gundam glares at Komaeda.

"What would _I_, the great Gundam Tanaka, have to be jealous about?" Komaeda raises his hands in mock defeat and laughs.

"Alright, alright, you got me. No jealousy here." He chuckles and slaps Gundam's shoulder. "You should go on ahead. I kind of uh... got nominated to wait for that guy to wake up. Heh." The luckster scratches the back of his head and Gundam rolls his eyes.

"Whatever you say." Gundam takes a step forward, but turns back to Komaeda. He notices everyone else has left, and talks. "We must converse at a later time." Komaeda nods seriously.

"We'll figure something out." Satisfied for now, Gundam takes his leave. He already knows where everything is, having been here before, and decides to head over to the airport. Perhaps he will find something to do there.


	5. Prologue 5: Beach Announcement

Gundam stands on the beach with the other students. All of the monitors on the island had lit up with a message from Usami, congratulating the students for successfully collecting their first set of Hope Shards. He assumes that Komaeda and that Hinata kid had gone on to talk to everyone else. Something seems rather off about Hinata that Gundam can't quite place. It was... strange. He can not explain it. While he had been thinking, Togami had started lecturing everyone. Gundam rolls his eyes as Togami reveals what was already known to him. This was (a virtual replica of) Jabberwock Island. Hinata begins to display his doubts, despite the chorus of pleasant tones expressing their contentness with the island.

"This is strange, however you think about it!" Hinata motions wildly, trying to convince someone, anyone. Gundam slaps him lightly on the shoulder. "Hn-"

"Your fears have made you irrational. Take a moment to cool your head." This only makes the boy more irrational.

"B-but we were supposed to be in Hope's Peak! Now we're on this island and-" He is cut off once again by other students voicing their opposing opinions. Everyone turns in surprise when Usami speaks up, objecting roughly to Hinata's suggestion to make a raft out of trees. She then goes on to speak of the rules again. It takes Togami, Komaeda, and Nanami to finally calm the boy down, if somewhat unwillingly. Mioda chimes in, directing the conversation.

"Usami-chan! Ibuki heard you mention 'pwesents' in your announcement! Ibuki wants one!" Usami puffs out her chest, somehow, and proceeds to hand everyone a... strange charm resembling her. Some, like Kuzuryuu and Togami, are quick to toss the charm, claiming it to be trash. The others quickly follow suit. Gundam glances around. The ones who have yet to toss them are himself, Komaeda, Saionji, and Nanami. The lavender-haired girl looks offended, while his companions look guilty. Gundam also feels rather guilty, but the four slowly toss their charms into the pile as well. Usami clutches her head sadly and whines.

"You children are so mean... I don't even want to give you the other pwesent..." This catches everyone's attention, and they turn back to the rabbit. "It's not as gweat as the other one... but I prepared a motive fow you to have fun..." She somehow pulls out eight blue and eight pink bags from behind her back. Komaeda smiles, and quickly tries to hide it.

"Usami... are those... swimming bags?" Usami puffs out her chest again.

"Yup! I thought swimming would help everyone become fwends! Wuv, wuv!" Nothing happens for a moment, as everyone seems to mull it over. Hinata is the first to speak up.

"You can't be serious. You really think that we would want to swim? I mean, nobody even knows how we got here and you think we'll jus-"

"YaaaaHOOOOOOOO!" Mioda barrels past Hinata, knocking him sideways. She grabs a pink swimming bag and speeds off toward the hotel. A chorus of voices rises up behind him, and Gundam glances back at the other kids happily chattering amongst themselves.

"Now we're talking! Let's go for a swim!" "I'm in full agreement!" "It's been years since I've been to the ocean!" "Let's go CHAAAAAAANGE!" A majority of the group runs up to Usami, grabbing a bag for themselves and springing off to the hotel. Hinata gets knocked to the ground in the stampede and smacks his head against one of the trees. Komaeda and Gundam head over to him to see if he's alright. Gundam swears he sees a... distortion of sorts around Hinata when his head impacts the trunk of the tree. However, he stumbles again and bonks himself on the head again and the anomaly isn't there anymore. Gundam thinks it must have just been a bit of glare from the light. It's been years since he's seen natural sunlight like this.

"Ah, Hinata-kun, are you alright?" Komaeda asks. The boy presses a palm to his temple, then nods.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I just... I'm fine." Komaeda pats him on the shoulder and Gundam helps the boy to his feet. Komaeda is the one that addresses Hinata.

"I hope you'll join us Hinata-kun. It'd be more fun if you come swim with us." Komaeda gives the boy a smile and the two leave Hinata to lean against the tree. They grab their bags from Usami and head back towards the hotel. Once they're a reasonable distance away from everyone, Komaeda turns to Gundam. "You saw it, right?"

Gundam nods. "I knew there was something odious in his demeanor. We must be cautious around him, for he could very well be an unnecessary variable that could lead to trouble." Komaeda cringes.

"I agree that we need to keep an eye on him, but let's... tone it down a bit?" Gundam sighs.

"Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

"I'll remember it."

* * *

Gundam laughs, admiring the amazing spire he had crafted from the sand. Everything is going how Naegi said it would. He hears joyous laughs and splashes, as well as pleasant, if bored, conversation from kids not swimming. Everyone is having a great time. Everyone, that is, except for Hinata. Gundam glances over at him angrily debating with a timid Usami. He can't make out what's being said, but eventually Togami steps in, saying a few choice words to Hinata, apparently. Realization dawns on his face, and Gundam chuckles. It seems he's finally accepted what's going on.

"Hey, you guys didn't forget about me, did you?" Hinata calls out to everyone in the water, waving excitedly. It's when Komaeda raises his hand up to wave back that it happens. One moment, it's sunny and everyone is cheering and playing. Then a ripple goes through the air and everyone is looking around in confusion as the sky lets out an ominous rumble. Clouds darken the sky and nobody moves, waiting for something to happen. Gundam leaps to his feet, going for Usami. Komaeda seems to have the same idea, and they're halfway there when a crackle resounds across the beach and a taunting voice speaks through the monitors scattered everywhere.

"Mike check, mike check! Is this thing on?" All of the monitors light up with a distorted image. "Ah~ I just love tropical islands!" Gundam feels himself paralyzed in fear. What about this voice scared him so much? Nothing but the waves, the wind, and the voice could be heard. All of the students stand silently. "Upupu, are you guys scared? It's okay if you are, I would be too! I'm such a spooky guy after all! Anyway, you bastards being scared isn't important. I want you guys to head to Jabberwock Park so we can close this boring introduction. And don't bother changing, I've locked all the doors on the island. The cold is just so despair inducing, don't you guys think? Upupupu..." The monitors shut off and everybody slumps as the fear leaves them. Gundam clenches his hand. What did that rabbit do? This definitely wasn't supposed to happen. Before he can confront her, Usami runs of, claiming she 'has to do something about this'. Gundam swears under his breath. The six clothed students run after her, leaving the rest of the bathing suit clad class standing dumbfounded.

"...Come. Let us advance. We waste valuable time by standing here." Gundam motions in the direction the others went and a few students move to follow him. Koizumi puts her hands on her hips.

"You can't be serious! We can't just go in our swimsuits! It's indecent, and what if we catch cold or something?" Gundam rolls his eyes.

"Please. That... thing said we need to go. And all the doors are locked."

"We can just go to the supermarket-"

"_All_ of them." The two square off, staring each other down, before Komaeda steps in between them.

"C'mon guys, we don't need to argue here. Maybe we can just-" The monitors crackle to life again.

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough~ There's a time limit now! You have two minutes." The monitors shut down, and the kids stand confused again.

"ONE MINUTE AND FOURTY-FIVE SEEEEEEECONDS!" Nidai roars a few moments later and everyone on the beach takes off for Jabberwock Park at full speed.

* * *

**Note:** Because I found it funny that in the game Monobear let the kids who went swimming change back into their clothes. Also this is kind of a filler chapter for the huge one I'm writing next for the end of the prologue.


	6. Prologue 6: Jabberwock Park

Gundam shivers against the cold. A stiff breeze blows as the group runs, bare feet slapping against the stones and pavement of the island's pathways. Nobody speaks, for there's nothing to say. When they finally reach Jabberwock Park, a strange sight meets them. Usami is lacking her normal getup, instead wearing just a diaper and with different coloring. The six clothed students stand aggressively, with the exception of Nanami who looks blank, facing a new doll. It's a black and white bear with some sort of weird, jagged, red eye. It laughs maliciously and spins on one of its stubby feet. The students skid to a stop, and it's Hanamura of all people who voices everybody's opinion.

"Wuh wuh wuh wah?! What's this?! What's goin' on?" The bear just laughs again.

"You all look so despairingly cold there. I told you guys it would help set the mood!" It has the voice from the monitors, and it addresses the new arrivals. "It's a pleasure to meet you fine folks! You can call me Monobear! I'm Hope's Peak Academy's headmaster. And now _I'm _in charge of this field trip." Usami angrily takes a step towards 'Monobear'.

"No! These kids are _my_ wesponsibility! I won't let you take them!" Monobear just cackles.

"Dear Monomi, do you really you can oppose your big brother like that?" Komaeda shoots a surprised look at Gundam.

"Big... brother?" Monobear puffs out its chest.

"Yup! And now that I'm here to do things right, it's time to start the real field trip!"

"What do you mean the _real _field trip?" Saionji clenches her fists and glares at Monobear.

"The Field Trip of Mutual Killing, of course! I mean, having tons of fun? Collecting 'Hope Shards'? Becoming _friends_? Yaaaaaaaawn. So boring, it's like I'm falling asleep just thinking about it. Mutual Killing it is! And the lucky participants are..." Monobear spins around slowly, directing a 'paw' at each kid frozen in fear and surprise. "All of you lucky bastards! Hooray!"

"M-m-m-mutual killing?" Tsumiki manages to stutter out before bursting into tears. Sonia and Koizumi move to comfort her.

"No! I wown't wet this happen!" Usami takes a step towards Monobear, only for the bear to smash her in the abdomen with a kick.

"Alright, Monomi, enough of that. Goodness, that girl doesn't know when to quit..."

"What... what do you mean by 'Mutual Killing'?" Pekoyama manages, before Monobear makes what appears to be an attempt at rolling his eyes.

"You bastards killing each other. Not sure how much clearer I can get."

"Ah, right. Killing each other..." Souda sighs, then suddenly bolts upright with a shriek. "K-K-K-KILLING EACH OTHER?!"

"Killing..." Komaeda stands still, shocked. Gundam feels himself shift into a defensive position. There was no way they would actually kill each other. He isn't even sure they _could_ kill each other.

"Of course! It's so boring if you guys get to leave just because you made friends with some people. The epitome of boring! That's why I changed the rules!" It throws back its head in a fit of laughter. "Now all you have to do to leave is kill one of your 'friends' and make it through the following class trial. It's totally simple." Monobear goes on to explain the workings of this 'class trial'. Gundam can only stare in confusion. What is this... why is this happening? He's positive that this wasn't supposed to happen. So why?...

"What is this 'punishment' you keep talking about?" Nidai rumbles.

"Punishment? Oh, it'll just be a simple thing I come up with. Some sort of execution."

"E-execution?" Sonia stutters out, clutching her chest in horror. Monobear leans forward, red eye glinting menacingly. Gundam, despite himself, takes a step back. This isn't supposed to be happening. Murder? Execution? There's something terribly wrong here.

"Of course! An amazing punishment will follow each and every School Trial won by the innocent parties. And multiple punishments will be administered in the case of the guilty party winning." Monobear plops down onto his rear and waggles his feet in excitement. "Ooh I just can't wait to scheme up some despair inducing executions! Maybe they'll get hit by a bus or get spun into paste! Or maybe we'll just go for a good old-fashioned hanging!" Horrified gasps and a scream or two emerge from the crowd. "And I don't even care how any of you kill! Be it stabbing, head smashing, or poisoning. You're free to do whatever you want!"

"Y-you fuckin' bastard..." Kuzuryuu spits out at Monobear. "I'll kill _you_!"

"Ah ah ah Kuzuryuu-kun, hurting the headmaster is against the rules! You should know that." Monobear does a little jig and Kuzuryuu's face goes blue. The gangster shakes his fist at the doll, but does nothing else.

"I don't think anybody here would kill each other." Nanami says, staring blankly at Monobear. The monochrome doll speaks up, pressing a paw to his forehead and... sweating?

"Ooh, you wound me." Monobear straightens up with a strange 'snap'. "Just kidding. I'm a bear. It's not that easy to wound a bear. That's okay though. I'm not _forcing_ you guys to murder each other. But you're going to regret it later, when you guys are in your thirties and still haven't killed anyone."

"I-I don't believe that... I won't... This is totally unbelievable..." Hanamura runs a hand through his still damp hair.

"A-are you saying nobody can leave if we don't kill each other?..." Koizumi hugs herself and rubs her bare arms with her hands. Monobear just shrugs.

"Dunno. I'll think about it."

"Now h-hold on! Why do we have to kill each other?!" Koizumi points at Monobear. It turns back to her with a look of confusion.

"Huh? I thought it was obvious. You bastards have a reason to, don't you?" Hinata chokes out an 'eh?' when Nidai steps up, cracking his knuckles. Gundam isn't sure him being in that miniscule swimsuit makes him more or less intimidating.

"That's enough! You are finished with your nonsense!" He points an accusing finger at Monobear. "I don't usually resort to direct violence, but sometimes it is the ONLY OPTION!" He seems to radiate a confident aura that Owari quickly picks up.

"Hell yeah! Lemme take this black and white guy out!" She clenches her fists and grins excitedly, while Pekoyama draws her wooden practice sword out of the sheath she still has on, for some reason. Her voice is steady.

"Anyone even thinking about murder will be stopped with force."

"Yeah! Our jocks won't let anything scary like that happen!" Mioda jams her middle finger up into the air in Monobear's direction, then double takes and switches to her index finger. Monobear just hangs his head and sighs, a blue tint appearing around his head. Gundam and Komaeda shift into an aggressive stance. Gundam points accusingly at the bear.

"Your outlandish sayings will not taint our spirit, monochrome one. We will unite against you. You can not possibly hope to even contemplate some foolish goal such as murder." Komaeda nods.

"You can't possibly hope to make us des- er uh... kill each other. Yeah. Our hope greatly outmatches whatever you can throw against us." He smiles and thumps his bare chest, which is somewhat underwhelming considering how pale and skinny the boy is. Gundam gets the idea though. Murmurs of agreement flow through the crowd. Monobear just sighs again and turns around, facing the strange statue in the middle of the park.

"I _suppose_ this was inevitable... it is rather bothersome though..." He suddenly turns around, red eye glowing menacingly and claws Gundam didn't know he had bared. "If you're going to insist on using violence against your headmaster, I'll have to reply with some of my own!" The bear turns around again and raises his arms.

"Violence? What are you going to do?..." Usami, or Monomi as Monobear called her now, timidly asks. Said bear ignores her, beginning some divine chant. Gundam feels a chill down his spine as the words pour out. He stands his ground.

"O scions of the void between light and shadow, hear me! Fulfill thy ancient contract... Monobeasts, I bid thee rise!" Nothing happens for a moment. The kids look at each other in confusion. Gundam just throws back his head and laughs.

"Foolish bear, you have no power here! You are but a wisp of flame in the roaring ocean of our might! Perhaps you should abandon your futile attempts at summoning and deal us your mightiest blow head on! If you are really as powerful as you claim then begin the assault!" Monobear makes a sound that sounds like it's clicking its tongue.

"You kids really are stupid." The simpleness of its comment startles him. Monobear 'snaps', which is what the sound would have been, had the toy had fingers. A quiet rumble begins and Gundam glances around. The other kids do it too, looking for the source of the noise. Monobear just throws back its head and cackles. "Maybe now you'll see that I'm serious." A deafening crack resounds through the air and everyone glances toward the giant statue. Hairline fissures appear on its stone surface, rapidly spreading through the entirety of the statue. The stone falls off in sheets, smashing into rubble against the ground. Gundam feels bits of rock dash tiny cuts onto his exposed skin. The dust cloud produced by the rubble sends the majority of the group into a coughing fit and makes Gundam close his eyes. Audible gasps and a choked off scream force his eyes open. What he sees terrifies him. What used to be the five figures of the statue rest behind the monochrome doll as sinister machines. A soldier, a bird, a snake, a horse, and a tiger. They produce awful groaning sounds with each movement.

"E-eh... eh...?" Sonia lets out quiet gasp, clutching at her chest and covering her mouth, her face gone blue with surprise.

"Wh-why the fuck is that damn statue..." Kuzuryuu trails off, arms limp at his sides. Monobear screeches in delight.

"It's not a statue! It's the Monobeasts!"

Souda stumbles back with a scream, a real one this time. "M-M-M-MONSTEEEEEERS!"

"They're not monsters! They're the Monobeasts! Pay attention!" Monobear angrily yells at the mechanic. The boy pulls his beanie down over his eyes and whimpers pathetically.

"This isn't right... this isn't right..." Tsumiki clutches at her hair and sobs.

"What... the... HEEEEEEEEEEEELL?!" Nidai screams and raises his arms up defensively. Monobear just groans and glares at the kids.

"You guys are really annoying, you know that? Why is it so hard for you to accept this?" Monomi takes a step forward, putting herself in between the Monobeasts and the group.

"Don't wowwy kids... I'll pwotect you. Stand back! I'll pwotect you all if it kiws me..." Monobear chuckles evilly.

"Upupu... is that so? Well then..." He suddenly appears really angry, his red eye flaring light. "Let me take you up on that offer! If that's what you want, I'll make you an example." The bear casually strides over to the bird Monobeast, which dips its head down and lets the bear get on top of it. It then gently floats up, spreading out its wings. Monobear sticks up an arm and suddenly, gatling guns extend from compartments on the underside of the wings. Gundam pushes to the front of the group, along with Nidai, Owari, and (surprisingly) Hinata. The rest of the group bunches up behind the four. Monobear laughs at them.

"Alright kids, pay attention. _This_ is how you kill someone." When the bear drops its hand, the bird lets loose, firing a spray of bullets that rapidly rip through the poor rabbit and tear her to shreds. Monobear continues to spray the area where Monomi stood moments ago, throwing up chunks of concrete and wood. As the barrage slows to a stop, the guns flick up, sending a few bullets in the direction of the students. Gundam feels a familiar searing pain on his side and drops to his knees. Hinata stumbles back, a hand cupping his face, and gasps in mortification when he pulls his hand away and sees it covered in blood. Owari grunts and clutches her upper arm. Nidai is, somehow, the only one not hit and rushes over to Owari. Tsumiki does the same to Gundam moving his grip away from the wound. She mutters quietly as she rips off part of the bandage on her arm, which is a lot longer than it looks, and starts wrapping Gundam's wound.

"It's not deep, it just grazed the skin, you're going to be fine, oh please don't die oh no..." Komaeda and Nanami run over to Hinata and Nanami presses a handkerchief to his face where the bullet grazed him. Behind him, Gundam hears Souda, Hanamura, and Mioda scream. Monobear jumps off of the Monobeast and does a little dance, evidently pleased with himself.

"Upupupupu! Ah, that's all you bastards needed. A good demonstration. I love the despair here!" The bear wipes at his face as though all his laughing had brought tears to his eyes. "Well then... it seems you bastards finally understand." Monobear takes the moment to glance at every student, making eye contact with them. And despite being a robot or doll or whatever, Gundam can feel the intensity of the bear's hate when it gazes at him. "You can't oppose me. You never will be able to. If you don't want to be drowned in the emptiness of my lack of compassion, then you sure as hell better follow the rules. I'm 'da boss' around here. What I say goes, capishe?" Monobear laughs again. "Oh and speaking of rules, I've updated your student handbooks. The 'Field Trip of Mutual Killing' rules are now there. Be sure to read them over carefully!" With a final wave, Monobear stalks away, the Monobeasts lumbering after him. Gundam feels himself slump forward. There's no way this should be happening. The park is silent, save for the somewhat distant sound of waves splashing against the shore. The sky darkens, and Gundam glances up. The clouds seem to have left, but night was approaching. It just adds to the somber mood.

"Ibuki... doesn't get it..." Mioda fidgets, playing with her hair.

"What is there to get?... None of this is real anyway..." Hanamura tugs at his collar.

"This wasn't supposed to happen." Saionji tries to state the obvious, but Gundam can hear the fear seeping into her voice.

"This is impossible... This can't happen... Why are impossible things happening?..." Souda keeps his hat pulled over his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks and dripping off of his chin.

A scoff cuts through the mood like a knife through butter. "Would you all quit it? Enough is enough. You lot should know well enough that this is entirely possible. All it would take is some robotics knowledge and a hefty sum of money." Togami adjusts his glasses, matter-of-factly shutting down almost every single sentence about to come out of everyone's mouths.

"You're saying someone is behind this?... Who would put us in a situation like this?" Pekoyama plays with her sword, running her fingers up and down the wooden blade.

"W-Why would someone even _think _about doing this?!" Koizumi bristles, but stays firmly planted where she stands.

"I'm telling you guys, none of this is real... I don't believe it... This is just a... dream that we'll all wake up from. Yeah." Hanamura wipes sweat off of his face, but it just keeps coming.

Togami grunts angrily. His shout startles Gundam. How could this person be mad at them at a time like this? "Did I not make my self clear enough to you simpletons? I said enough! It doesn't mater to me how much you cry or how you distract yourselves. There is only one thing that matters." He crosses his arms with some difficulty and closes his eyes. "That thing is that there is only one thing we need to be truly guarded against. It is not these Monomi and Monobear dolls, nor is it those ridiculous Monobeasts." He opens his eyes and looks at each student individually. Gundam gazes into Togami's steel eyes when he looks at him. The imposter's glare bores into his soul, and Gundam has never felt more lost. "No, the thing we need to be guarded against... is each other."

Upon his words, the crowd splits up, everybody putting a two or three feet of distance between them and anybody else. Gundam keeps his distance from Komaeda and Saionji, having to keep up appearances. It would be suspicious to stand near them now. Togami keeps talking. "We've been taken here, yanked from our previous lives without warning, and told to kill each other. This fear and despair in the atmosphere... our desire to escape from it... That is the true enemy." Gundam glances around at each face in the crowd. It's clear that everyone agrees with Togami. Hell, even he believed it. No, Gundam thinks, perhaps he is one of them that believes it the most. For he knows what these kids are truly capable of. And it scares him. "That is all." Togami stares down the others, daring them to say something, then briskly heads off back toward the hotel. Everyone else slowly trickles away until Gundam finds himself alone with three other students. Komaeda, Saionji, and Nanami. Once the coast is clear, the dancer immediately tears up, running over to Gundam and wrapping her arms around his waist. Gundam holds her as she begins sobbing.

"There there... do not fret..." He isn't sure what else to say. Komaeda comes over and leans against Gundam, and the three stay like that for a moment. Nanami sighs.

"Guys... I'm sorry... I don't know what's going on. This wasn't supposed to happen. There's something wrong..." Saionji wipes her eyes with her sleeve and sniffs angrily.

"You think?" Komaeda shushes her.

"Yeah, we could tell. Look, we'll... I don't know. Figure something out..." The gamer nods, then turns to leave.

"We'll fix this, guys... I think." She walks away, head hung, leaving the three to stand next to the empty pedestal. Komaeda sighs.

"We should change out of these swimsuits, Tanaka-kun. We'll... I dunno, catch a cold." Gundam just nods. When he tries to move, however, Saionji doesn't let go, just looking up at him with watery eyes. The animal breeder sighs, picking her up bridal style. She whimpers quietly and lays her head against his shoulder. The three head back to the hotel. Everybody is already in their cottages, all of the lights off except for the gentle bulbs at the bottom of the pool. Komaeda breaks off when they reach his house, heading inside and shutting the door after him. Gundam walks over to Saionji's house and tries to put her down, but she just shakes her head and wraps her arms around his neck. He sighs again.

"We can't. They'll know something is the matter."

"I don't care..." Gundam shakes his head, but heads over to his house with the girl in his arms anyway. He opens the door, happy at least to find it unlocked, and places the girl on his bed. He then heads into the bathroom and takes off his trunks, haphazardly throwing them into the bathtub. He pulls on his pants, not caring about anything else, and collapses onto the bed next to Saionji. She grabs his arm and nuzzles it.

Just as he begins to drift off, however, a knock at his door wakes him up. He knows who it is before opening it. Komaeda apparently knows what Gundam is going to do as well, because he steps past the animal breeder and walks over to the bed right as the door opens. Gundam quietly shuts the door and goes to lay down with the two. He pushes them over slightly, climbing into the space that's left, and then puts his arms over both of them. It reminds him of the night they spent in Hope's Peak, with Saionji in the middle and both boys on either side of her. And that's how they fall asleep, on top of the blanket and wrapped in each other's embrace. Gundam can tell this will be the first of many nights like this. And that thought hurts him.

**End Prologue...**

**Remaining Students: 16**


	7. Act: Point Five

"No!" Naegi pounds on the desk with both fists. Togami glares at the rapidly scrolling text on the screen. Kirigiri does her best to figure out the source of the virus. "I can't believe it! This was supposed to... work." He sighs, falling to his knees and laying his head on the desk. "It was supposed to work..." Hagakure pats Naegi on the back awkwardly.

"Naegi-chi, you need to like... chill out. I'm sure Alter Ego will find a way to fix it." Naegi groans. Hagakure grimaces when Togami throws him a glare. He wants the fortune-teller to shut him up. "Naegi-chi. C'mon man." Naegi stands up and takes a deep breath. Kirigiri turns to him.

"Makoto." She lays a hand on his shoulder. Naegi just sighs.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. It's just... how did this happen? Monobear? I thought we finally got rid of him. And Enoshima." Naegi presses a hand to his temple. Alter Ego pops up on the screen, looking rather upset.

"Um... do you mind if I trouble you real quick?" The AI looks rather upset. Kirigiri nods.

"Go ahead."

"Um... well... I was going over some of the data files we had including video recordings and sensor information detailing the events of the last few days and..." Alter Ego glances around. "It seems... there was a period of time about three days ago where the security cameras were set onto a loop, effectively disabling them. They were down for a few hours. The hidden weight sensors in the containment cells indicate that one of them, the most high security one, was also empty for that period of time. I'm sorry I didn't find this earlier... The virus scrambled a lot of data..." Kirigiri strokes her chin in thought.

"Thank you Alter Ego. It would appear that one of the Remnants of Despair escaped and infiltrated the system somehow." Togami clenches his fist. He's clearly angry, and he takes it out by shouting. At Hagakure.

"It was Izuru Kamakura! I told you we needed higher security for him! Hell, we should have killed him!" The fortune-teller cowers.

"Y-you know it Togami-chi!"

"Shut up!" Kirigiri shushes both of them.

"Quiet. There's just one problem. There were no computers that Kamakura could have reached without causing a ruckus. We had ten guards at every computer that wasn't in a heavily populated area. And how would he have known which one to put the virus into anyway? There's no way it could have been him..." Naegi freezes up with realization.

"Kyouko-san... you've got that wrong." The three others in the room turn to him, confused. "There was _one_ computer that he could have accessed that would have not only kept him incognito, but also was certain to be linked up to the New World Program." He grips the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white. "The laptop in the beta tube testing room." Kirigiri's hand flies up to cover her mouth, shock evident on her face. Togami and Hagakure share a confused glance.

"Naegi-chi... weren't you in there though? With those three guys we saved?" Naegi groans.

"Yeah. Which is why it would have been an optimal place to go. There was a small window of time between us leaving and the guards coming back. Plenty of time for someone as... talented as him to upload a virus." He sighs, and the room shares a moment of solemn silence. Alter Ego carefully chimes in.

"Uh... I'm sorry... I'm not sure if I can stop the virus... I can only maintain the structure of the program. I'll keep trying though." Togami grunts and glances back at the fifteen screens connected to a huge mainframe. This mainframe in turn connects to the fifteen alpha pods holding fifteen sleeping people. Togami turns away.

"Well then we'll just have to hope they all survive to graduation, don't we? Alter Ego, initiate the Time Trial Project." Naegi faces Togami.

"Togami-kun... are you sure?" Kirigiri places a hand on his shoulder.

"It's the only way, Makoto. We have to get them out somehow." Naegi looks at the fifteen horrified faces displayed on the screens.

"Yeah. I know."

* * *

In the middle of Jabberwock Park, Monobear stands, angrily staring at the new problem facing him. A giant, ornate clock sits on the pedestal that used to hold the Monobeasts. Despite the old design, it hosts a variety of complicated technological parts. The bear watches as the dial reading '25 days remaining' rolls over into '24 days remaining'. The display that held a bunch of zeros rolls over as well, starting at '23:59' and counting down.

"Upupu... what's this? An attempt to kick the students out early? Upupupu..." Monobear raises his arms, but the clock doesn't explode. Or disintegrate. Or anything really.

"Did you weawy think that would work?" Monobear groans, turning to face his annoyance of his little sister and her dopey sidekick.

"Monomi. How many times have I told you to leave your big brother alone? Shouldn't you and your friend be sleeping? It's past your bedtime." Monomi just stands angrily. Nanami watches quietly.

"You can't destwoy this! It's pawt of the game now! You'll just have to weave it awone."

"Hmm..." As much as he hates to admit it, Monomi is right. He can't change it. Or wait. He can't _destroy _it. "Okay then. I won't destroy it. I'll just make it more visually appealing. And don't worry sister dear. I'm a bear. And bears have great fashion sense."

Monobear jumps up onto the pedestal and pulls out some tools, mainly for show, and begins working on the clock, a cloud of opaque dust appearing around him. Monomi stares on in fear and Nanami gazes in disinterest.

"Tadaaaaa!" Monobear finishes, proudly displaying his work. He changed the appearance, making the timer resemble his head. It's completely black and rests upon a pole. Said pole is covered in a multitude in spinning gears. Every once in a while, the edges pop out, spinning on some sort of rotor, and the device lets out a burst of steam.

"It's okay." Nanami looks it over with a yawn. Monobear angrily flails his arms, his face red.

"Well who cares what you two think! Get out of my sight." The bear stalks away, pouting, and the AIs leave as well, heading back to the hotel. The clock whirrs ominously in the darkness of the night as an unseen figure walks back towards the hotel as well, moving surprisingly fast for a fat person.

**24 Days Remaining**


	8. Act 1: That Summertime Sadness

ACT 1: Begin

**That Summertime Sadness**

"Um... This is an announcement from Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Executive Committee. Good morning you bastards! It's another beautiful tropical day, enjoy it for all it's worth. It could be your last... Upupupu..." Gundam wakes up with a groan. Sunlight makes a semi-successful attempt to push through the curtain covering his window. When he tries to get up, he realizes he can't feel his arm. With a grunt, he glances over, finding the dancer layered over it. When he tries to move his other arm, he can't move that one either. The animal breeder looks over in annoyance, finding the luckster laying on that one. He traces the boy's body with his eyes to find his legs pinning down Gundam's torso. He takes a deep breath, then bellows loudly.

"Release me from your hold! Did you not hear the malicious creature's announcement?!" Komaeda wakes with a start, rolling off of the bed and landing with a dull thud. Saionji just rolls over, keeping his arm trapped under her. She slaps Gundam sleepily.

"Shut up... I'm trying to sleep..." The white-haired boy sits up silently, rubbing his head. Gundam rolls his eyes and pushes the dancer off of his arm. Pins and needles flow throughout his entire body, and he quickly shakes them away. After standing up, Gundam reaches forward, grabbing the girl under her arms and hauls her off of the bed, placing her on her feet. She sways unsteadily before falling backwards, back onto the bed. "I don't wanna leave..."

"Oh please. This is not the time for that." Gundam crosses his arms, but Saionji ignores him, grabbing a pillow and covering her face with it. Komaeda moves to sit on the bed, forearms resting on his knees. The luckster sighs.

"Tanaka-kun, yesterday was a thing, you know." Komaeda looks up at him and Gundam deflates.

"Shit..." He had hoped it was a dream or something. Gundam had fully expected to wake up, having dreamed the entire fiasco that had happened yesterday. No dice. He groans and presses his palm against his face. "I did not want to believe that was... a real occurrence."

"Nobody does..." A knock at the door interrupts them, and Gundam goes to answer it. The gymnast, Owari, stands there, picking at her ear with her pinkie finger. She opens an eye as the door opens. Gundam grunts.

"What is the reason for disturbing my slumber, lithe one? I see no reason for you to be interrupting the precious time I need to groom the Four Dark Gods of Des-" Owari stops him by pushing her finger to his lips. Then pushing until Gundam is forced to take a step back.

"Shh. Shut up. I don't care."

"Hn-!" Gundam sputters, unsure of why he's been getting cut off a lot recently. He slaps her hand away from his face. "Don't touch me again, foul human! Do you realize what kind of risk you take by doing that?! Such a simple seeming action could easily disintegrate your very being! And if it didn't I would gladly destroy you mys-"

"I said shut up. God, you talk a lot." Owari cocks her head, looking annoyed, and places a hand on her hip. "Jeez, if I had known you'd talk so damn much I wouldn't have volunteered to do this."

"Do what?"

"That Togami guy. He wants everyone to meet up in the restaurant. Dunno why. Don't care why. Just take your time, alright? He's stopping breakfast as soon as everyone gets there, and I'm hungry." The girl glances past Gundam, spying Komaeda sitting on his bed. Her eyebrows fly up. "Woah. I guess I didn't need to tell you to take your time. You look like you're busy." It's just now that Gundam remembers he doesn't have a shirt on. Damn it. Owari laughs, turning and walking away. "Later, dude."

"No! It's not-! Hng..." Gundam's protests die out as she walks away. "I swear by the unspeakable name of the divine judge..." The animal breeder grumbles and slams the door. Saionji bursts into a fit of laughter as soon as the door shuts. Komaeda chuckles quietly. Gundam jabs a finger into the luckster's chest. "Do not laugh! This concerns you as well!" Gundam feels his eye twitch as the boy just laughs again.

"Sorry Tanaka-kun. It's just... hehehe... your reaction." He covers his mouth with hand. Gundam points at the door angrily.

"Out." Komaeda just smiles and gets up. Saionji stifles a few giggles and Gundam glares at her too. "You as well." She huffs angrily.

"That's unfair, Big bro Tanaka."

"I really do not care." Saionji sighs and slides off of the bed, fully awake now. She grumps angrily after Komaeda, who's already on the boardwalk connecting the houses. The luckster turns back to Gundam with a smile. "We'll see you at the restaurant in a bit?" After receiving a nod from Gundam, Komaeda and Saionji walk away. The animal breeder hears an excited 'Big Sis Koizumi!' and chuckles. Gundam spends the next five minutes getting dressed and grooming his hamsters.

"Alright. Come my lords, a feast waits for us!" He sticks out his arm and the hamsters jump onto his hand, running up and nestling themselves into the nooks and crannies of his clothing. Gundam heads out of the cottage, passing Pekoyama on his way to the hotel. She stops him for a moment.

"Ah. Tanaka. Good morning. I was wondering if you had seen Souda or Hinata recently. We're still waiting for them. And you." Gundam raises an eyebrow and racks his brain. He _did_ see the mechanic, who was blubbering his eyes out and soaking his feet in the water off the edge of the boardwalk. Hinata, however, was a mystery.

"I have seen the mechanic. He was acting like a punished child, sobbing his childish eyes out near his cabin. As for Hinata..." Gundam crosses his arms and closes his eyes. "I'm afraid I cannot help you there." Pekoyama nods and thanks him. On his way to the restaurant, Gundam passes Nanami, playing a game on the machines there. He shoots her a look.

"What? I just wanted to play a game." The gamer just stares at him blankly. Gundam shakes his head with a sigh and heads upstairs. He gazes over all of the kids sitting at the tables, talking and eating quietly. Kuzuryuu sits silently by himself on the other side of the room. Togami stands by the stairs, chastising Gundam for being late. Nidai and Owari sit together, near Mioda and Tsumiki. Next to them sit Koizumi and Saionji, the latter practically in the former's lap. Komaeda causally chats with Hanamura and Sonia. When the princess spots Gundam, she waves him over.

"Ah! Tanaka-san! You can sit with me!" Hanamura wilts slightly, but otherwise welcomes Gundam over. He nods and grabs some food on a plate, mainly for his Four Dark Gods. He places himself next to Sonia, who happily forces him into the conversation. He listens politely, feeding his hamsters as the others talk. Sonia proceeds to gush over how cute him feeding them is and Gundam yanks his scarf up over his cheeks, mumbling his thanks. The stairs creaking makes him turn his head, finding Hinata and Nanami standing at the top. Pekoyama had also managed to slip into the restaurant without him noticing.

"You're late Hinata. And where's Souda?" Togami keeps his arms crossed, staring intensely at Hinata. The boy looks like he's about to take a step back, but remembers he's standing at the top of the stairs. He visibly swallows.

"Uh... he uh... ran off. He said he was running away."

"U-um... is there even anywhere to run away to?" Tsumiki quietly asks, then cowers as though somebody is going to hit her or something.

"Big bro Souda's just being a huge dumb head! There's nowhere to run away to!" Saionji giggles evilly and pops a strawberry into her mouth.

Nidai huffs. "Can we really blame him though? After what happened yesterday..."

"Haha... something happened yesterday? Strange, I don't remember that." Hanamura combs his hair nervously. Koizumi shushes him with a glare.

"_Anyway_, why are we all gathered here?" Togami just turns to stare out of the window.

"We're not starting until Souda gets here." A chorus of groans rises through the restaurant. Hinata just looks confused.

"Ah, you gathered us here Togami? What are we even going to talk about?" Owari smashes her fist into her palm.

"Obviously we're going to talk about how to take down those Mono-whatevers!"

"B-b-b-but they've got all those g-g-guns though!" Tsumiki stutters out, then cowers as Nidai bellows at her.

"BULLETS CANNOT PIERCE _SPIRIT!_ SAY IT WITH ME!" Nidai and Tsumiki both repeat 'bullets cannot pierce spirit', one a lot louder than the other. Gundam bites back the urge to laugh. He scoffs instead.

"While that is a rather accurate observation, spirited one, let me give you some advice." Gundam smirks. "A truly strong person knows how to use their inside voice." Saionji snickers from across the room.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with. I mean, it'll probably just be some sort of lame pep talk." She rolls her eyes. Gundam wonders where this attitude is suddenly coming from. Togami huffs.

"I've told you lot already. This is the last time I'll say it. We're not starting without everyone present." He glances away as though it's final. Koizumi lets out a disgusted noise and stands up, carefully moving Saionji off of her. The dancer whines, but the redhead just smiles pleasantly at her and Saionji quiets down with a pout.

"Look. _I'll _go capture him. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." The photographer angrily stomps out of the restaurant. Hanamura chuckles.

"I'd certainly let Koizumi-san capture me. I mean, she's already captured my heart." Gundam rolls his eyes. Mioda scoffs and Kuzuryuu, somehow hearing him from across the room, cringes.

"Disgusting..." Togami turns to everyone present.

"Well then. While she's gone, I suggest we use this time wisely. Let's eat!" The moment he finishes speaking, he dives into the piles of food sitting around. Everyone save Hanamura, Owari, and Mioda looks at him, partially in disgust and partially in awe. Gundam finds himself mesmerized. How it was possible for someone to eat that fast was beyond him. Due to his fascination, he misses part of the conversation about the food, brought back only by Hanamura's outraged shouts.

"I'm _offended_ that you would compare my exquisite masterpieces to this... 'food'. Ugh." Hinata, who had placed himself on Sonia's other side, leans back in surprise.

"Woah, don't get so upset!" Hanamura points an accusing finger at Hinata.

"I have every reason to be upset! My food is so much flavorful and visually appealing than this! You'll be astounded when you try it!" Pekoyama raises an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Hanamura just chuckles.

"It won't just be your jaw that drops! Your underwear will fall too!" He points at Pekoyama. "Like your black thong!" The swordswoman blushes heavily, and Hinata reels back in surprise. "Your blue boxers aren't safe either, Hinata-kun." The boy's eyebrows shoot up into his hairline.

"Y-you bastard! How did you..." Pekoyama accuses Hanamura and excuses herself from the table, making the cook chuckle quietly. It's then that a door slams downstairs, and the students can hear a whimpering. Koizumi and Souda walk up the stairs. Koizumi puts a hand on her hip and pushes Souda forward.

"Sorry. Have we kept you waiting?" Souda sniffles pathetically and Koizumi bops him lightly on the head. "Quit whining. Aren't you embarrassed as a man, acting like a little kid?"

"Leave me alone... I wanna go home..." The mechanic pulls the beanie down over his eyes. Koizumi just groans and goes back over to her seat. Togami gets up, blocking the stairwell with his girth. This forces Souda to have a seat, taking the nearest one, which is next to Hinata. The boy pats Souda on the back as he whines. Saionji giggles menacingly.

"Hehe. Big bro Souda looks tough, but he's just a big ol' scaredy cat on the inside. People like that are often the first victims, you know." She shoots Souda a smirk and the mechanic wails.

"Lemme go hoooooooome!" Togami shushes everyone by clearing his throat.

"Well. It looks like everyone is _finally_ here. Maybe we'll actually be able to begin." This sends the group into a huge discussion, which is clearly not the thing they're supposed to be talking about. Hinata goes around and talks to everyone. Gundam just brushes him off.

"Eat well, my Four Dark Gods of Destruction. Feed heartily!" Hinata raises an eyebrow and leaves. Eventually, everyone quiets down, with Togami shooting a harsh glare at everyone.

"A_hem_. Let's begin. Now." The imposter heir adjusts his glasses. "Let me ask you all a question. Right now, what is of the utmost importance?" Kuzuryuu scoffs at him.

"Feh. What a retarded question. Just get on with the damn lecture already." Togami crosses his arms and glares. "If you want me to 'get on with the damn lecture' then you will answer the question."

"Food obviously. Food and sleep." Owari stops stuffing her face to answer, then goes back to messily shoveling food in her mouth. As strange as it is to say, Owari eats a lot less... interestingly than Togami. Gundam quickly turns away from the mess she's making.

"And bowel movements." Nidai gets an intense look in his eyes. "EAT WELL, SLEEP WELL, SHIT WELL! THERE IS THE ANSWER!" Togami waits for a moment before sighing.

"...Are there any _serious_ answers?" Komaeda strokes his chin before hesitantly speaking up.

"Are you talking about bonds?" Hinata just looks confused.

"Huh?" Komaeda continues.

"I mean, if all of us work together, there's nothing we can't do, right?" Komaeda smiles. "Together, we can produce a hope that will shine brighter than any despair! So we just need to stick together and we'll all be okay!" Saionji blows a raspberry into the air.

"Big bro Komaeda, I can't believe you said all of that seriously!" Komaeda scratches the back of his head and laughs.

"Aha, sorry. That was kind of corny, wasn't it?" He shrugs.

"No... he may be onto something." Pekoyama, having moved far away from Hanamura, says. "After all, Monobear made these rules with the intent of making us doubtful of each other, did he not?" A few students apparently hadn't checked the student ID since they got it, pulling it out and going over the 'Mutual Killing' rules. Togami smiles.

"Perfect answer." He crosses his arms, his smile quickly falling into a smirk. "In a situation like this, we must stand as a unified group." The few students that weren't listening before start paying attention. "But these naïve 'bonds' are not what a group needs to be held together." Komaeda looks confused.

"Then what do we n-" Togami cuts him off by flinging his arm out in a grandiose manner.

"What we need is a leader!" Murmurs of consent flow through the room. Nidai nods in agreement.

"Every good team has a captain, this is true."

"And I think we are in full agreement that said leader will be me." The room falls into silence.

"...Huh?" Hinata voices everybody's opinion. Togami brushes him off.

"Alright, now that the preliminaries are settled, we can get onto the main issue..."

"Hold up just a moment!" Koizumi stands up, pointing her finger at him.

"...What?" Togami looks at her in irritation.

"Huh? I mean... uh... don't you 'what?' me!" She puts her hands on her hips. "That's way too aggressive! You can't just up and declare yourself leader! What makes you think you're qualified to lead us anyway?" More murmurs, this time from students who agree with Koizumi, make themselves known. Gundam leans back in his seat and scoffs. This should be good.

"Is there anyone better to lead than me?" Togami raises an eyebrow. "In case your simple mind has forgotten, I'm Byakuya Togami, Super High School Level Heir." Gundam scoffs again, and Togami looks at him strangely. Komaeda shoots Gundam a warning glare. "Anyway, it's been pretty much decided by the moment of my birth. I was _born_ to lead and that's that."

"W-well you're still too aggressive!" Koizumi bristles, slamming her palms against the table. Komaeda raises his hands, moving in between the two.

"Koizumi-san, hold on a moment. I agree Togami-kun is being rather aggressive, but considering out situation, isn't that somewhat of good thing?" Koizumi backs down slightly.

"W-well yeah, but... what about Sonia-chan? She was born to lead too."

"Oh, I don't think I'd be a very good leader in this situation. My role is more um... how would you say... decoration?" Sonia cocks her head and smiles at Koizumi somewhat guiltily. The photographer sighs and sits back down, a light blush on her face.

"Well... if everyone else is alright with it..." Togami grunts, turning back to everyone else.

"Well then. It's decided. Unless someone else wants to object." He waits a moment in silence then nods. "Do not worry. As long as I am your leader, no one will die. I will lead you all to safety. _That_, you simpletons, is a promise." Mioda practically jumps out of her seat, nearly knocking Tsumiki out of her's in the process.

"Kya haaaaa! That was so cool and reassuring! Byakuya-chan is so cool!" Togami looks at her with a strange look, then clears his throat.

"Anyway. Now onto the main issue. There is something you need to see. Follow me to Jabberwock Park." The heir stands up without warning and stomps out of the restaurant. A few students, namely Nidai and Mioda, jump up and dash after him. A few others reluctantly leave their breakfasts and follow. Hinata sighs.

"He sure is aggressive." Koizumi runs a hand through her hair.

"I think we picked the wrong leader." Most of the students file out, complaining and grumbling. Gundam glances around. The only ones left are him, Hinata, Owari, and Komaeda. Hinata comes over to the animal breeder and the luckster.

"Eesh. Either of you have any idea what just happened?" Gundam rolls his eyes and Komaeda scratches the back of his head.

"I guess it doesn't really matter. We should get going, Hinata-kun." Gundam nods.

"Come, fools. The Four Dark Gods of Destruction desire action. Onward!" Gundam marches out with Komaeda, leaving Hinata with the gymnast. They pass Sonia, Saionji, and Koizumi on the way out. The princess peppily waves to Gundam, who hesitantly waves back. The photographer urges them on, telling the pair it's a girls only meeting. Saionji sticks her tongue out at the two, then winks at them. The pair continue on. Komaeda turns to Gundam after they pass the cottages.

"Tanaka-kun, what do you actually think of Togami-kun being our leader?" Gundam closes his eyes and crosses his arms.

"I think that he has obviously never met the real Togami." Komaeda chuckles.

"That's for sure."


	9. Act 1: Nonstop Debate

**Note:** This chapter is kind of longer than expected because of a lot of dialogue. Speaking of dialogue, prepare yourselves for a game of 'how many swears can I fit into a few sentences' because Kuzuryuu talks for longer than a few lines later in the chapter.

* * *

"Hnn!" Gundam stares at... something. What it actually is, he has no idea. It looks like... a bomb. A bomb on top of a stick with a bunch of spinning gears and a flashing timer. The animal breeder stands at Jabberwock Park, gazing in confusion at the giant mechanism that sits, whirring loudly, where the statue once was. After a few moments of just staring along with most of the other people there, Hinata arrives with Koizumi, Sonia, and an upset Souda. The mechanic mumbles angrily about coconut milk. Togami rolls his eyes, huffing haughtily.

"You'd think thin people like you wouldn't be as slow as you are."

"T-Togami-san, maybe it is you who is too fast?" Sonia takes a few labored breaths. Gundam guesses the small group had run here. Souda mutters something angrily about Togami being fat.

"So... what are we supposed to be seeing here?" Owari asks, earning her a multitude of disbelieving looks, Togami included.

"What are you... supposed to be seeing?" His mouth agape in confounded disgust, Togami stares at the gymnast. "Are you... truly such a small-minded simpleton that you can't see the obvious?" Hinata goes around, talking to a few people before looking up and gasping in surprise.

"W-woah! Was that here before?!"

"Mu... I do not believe so..." Nidai crosses his arms, staring up at the strange machine.

"I believe it was put here somewhere last night, as it was definitely not here yesterday, and I saw it first early this morning on my walk." Togami harumphs, still glancing at Owari in disbelief every once in a while.

"Monobear must have put it here." Pekoyama crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. "...But what does this countdown mean?"

"Maybe it's..." Mioda glances at it, then looks away. "Ibuki has no idea..."

"It could be a bomb." Gundam says, earning a fearful shriek from Souda ("A _BOMB?!"_).

"If they, whoever _they _are, were going to blow up the island, why would they bother with a timer?" Togami crosses his arms.

"Th-th-then what's it counting down to?" Tsumiki asks, fidgeting with her apron.

"Dunno." Owari glances in the direction of the hotel, and the restaurant, with a look of longing.

"Vewy stwange indeed." Sonia screams at the voice, which causes Monomi to scream in response. This makes Souda scream, which makes Monomi scream. The rabbit and the mechanic trade screams for about a minute, before Togami silences them both with an intense glare.

"M-Monomi!" Hinata looks at the rabbit in surprise. She turns to him.

"Yes?"

"Why are you here?" Koizumi asks. Gundam holds back the answer about to slip from his lips. He has to keep a low profile.

"I just wanted to see what's going on. I heard you guys talking and came to see what was going on." She cocks her head. "Why do you ask?"

"C-cause you _died!_" Souda screeches. Monomi just laughs.

"Oh, that's what you're concerned about?" The rabbit just giggles. "Aww, you guys cawed about what happened to me? How sweet! It's okay, I didn't actually die! I can't, after all."

"Ah, you come from the underworld then? Splendid, I rarely have the chance to domesticate the beasts from bellow." Gundam chuckles evilly, making the rabbit sweat.

"Monomi's just a program...med robot, right? You can't kill something that isn't alive." Nanami asks, using her seemingly slow nature to play off her folly. Everyone buys it.

"Yeah... yeah that makes sense. It's obvious she'd have spares." Souda scratches the back of his head, trying to play off his folly of screaming at said rabbit. Nobody buys it.

"S-spare? I don't wike the sound of that..." Monomi blubbers.

"Alright enough." Togami dismisses the rabbit with a wave of his hand, then reconsiders. "Actually, hold on. I need to ask you something. What does the countdown mean?" He nonchalantly waves his hand at the bomb-object.

"Countdown?..." Monomi looks in confusion at the machine, then gasps. Gundam can tell from the get-go that she's lying. "Howawa, that thing? I... I'm so sowwy! I don't weawy understand it."

"You really don't know?" Koizumi sighs in disappointment.

"Weww... no... but we can find out together, wight? We can dwive this Monobear off of the island if we work together!" Togami scoffs at her.

"You're useless. Go away."

"B-but..."

"Go." Togami points toward the hotel and Monomi sulks away.

"Do you think... maybe we were a bit too harsh?" Sonia clutches lightly at the bow on her chest.

"Sonia-san! Can I call you Sonia-san? I'll call you Sonia-san!" Souda excitedly points at the retreating rabbit. "We shouldn't care about her! She's probably in cahoots with Monobear, ya know!" Koizumi rolls her eyes at the mechanic. Togami shakes his head.

"None of this matters right now. It's just one more mystery piled upon our current stack of unknowns. Why these islands are empty aside from us, why this thing is here, why _we're_ here for that matter."

"Ugugu... too many mysteries! Ibuki's head is going to explode!"

"Yes, there are a colossal amount of mysteries." Before he can continue, the group launches into an argument about the potential answers to these mysteries.

"It's obvious that they were run out!" "Please... it was probably a massacre by those Monobeasts." "R-really?!" "Don't just believe everything you hear!" "What are we even talking about again?" "Seriously?" Togami sighs.

"Enough!" He silences everyone with a shout. They stop, turning towards him. "While we do not know everything, we can be sure about one thing." He pauses for a moment, letting that sink in.

"What are you saying?..." Hinata asks.

"I'm saying it wasn't just some kids from the drama club that organized this. It's obviously the work of a powerful organization." He crosses his arms and snorts. "Monomi, Monobear, the Monobeasts... it takes lots of expertise, not to mention wealth, to be able to create something like these. Plus, whoever is operating these machines is likely also watching through the surveillance cameras scattered around."

"Yeah, but like... I can't think of any big organizations..." Owari scratches her head. Togami groans in exasperation.

"I can. Several, in fact." He scrunches up his face. "The Novoselic kingdom. The Kuzuryuu Family. My own Togami Conglomerate. Any organization as big as these would be able to do it."

"Wha-?!" Sonia gasps.

"Whatever. Think what you want." Kuzuryuu scoffs, sticking his hands in his pockets. A few cries of outrage come from the crowd, mainly in defense of Sonia. Togami rolls his eyes and scoffs.

"Please. I was just giving examples."

"But they all certainly count as powerful organizations..." Pekoyama points out. "And even if one did exist, what reason would they have for doing this?"

"Hey, hows about we turn the topic towards something a bit more realistic, like lunch?" Hanamura chuckles nervously. Togami ignores him.

"Potential reasons are unknown to me. Once we know who exactly they are, that will change, of course. Basically, I'm saying that our first priority should be finding out who exactly did this." Gundam glances away. Saionji plays with her kimono. Komaeda stares at the sky. Nanami fiddles with the game device in her hands. Togami glances at each of them before going back to talking. "...Anyway. As leader, my first course of action is this." Togami jabs a finger out dramatically. It catches Souda in the eye, the mechanic stumbling back and whimpering. The imposter heir glances at him for a second before continuing. "We must explore every nook and cranny! There must be a clue, however small. We must search like our lives depend on it. And they very well could."

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Owari cracks her knuckles in excitement, then grins stupidly and puts a hand on her hip. "What are we doing?"

"A-Akane-chan, were you listening? We're going to look for clues to the enemy's identity."

"Hah. Do not worry, lithe one." Gundam lets out a chuckle. "I will pick up the slack which you so carelessly create! The Four Dark Gods of Destruction will gleefully aid me in this task!" Gundam flings his arms out, putting on a show, and his hamsters leap from the folds in his scarf, posing dramatically on his outspread limbs. Most of the kids just chuckle or roll their eyes, but Sonia squeals in delight.

"Aha! His cute little hamsters popped out of his scarf! That's so precious!" Gundam feels heat rise to his cheeks at the princess' comment. He retracts his arms, quickly yanking his scarf up over his cheeks.

"Huo... Uh... Thanks." Mioda leans forward with a laugh.

"Haha! Look, he's blushing!"

"Speaking to Sonia-san so freely... I'll have to give him a beating later..." Souda mumbles to himself, jealousy evident on his face.

"Hehe... _you_ beat somebody up? While your personality may not be much, at least you're an alright joker." Saionji giggles menacingly, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Tha- wait a minute, hey!" Souda glares at the dancer.

"Enough. I have one final announcement to make." Everybody shuts up and turns to Togami. "This will be a very time-consuming task. As such, there is no room for very much free time. This includes murder. If you lot have no idea what to even do, then at least pretend. It's possible for even a broken clock to be right two times a day. And most importantly, follow my guidance. I will keep you secure. Now get going. This is an order." With a final huff, Togami turns away.

"Kyahaaaa! So coooooool!" Mioda cheers.

"Ha! When he moves around, he's all wobbly! We should call him 'Mr. Porkfeet'!" Saionji says.

"Mr... Porkfeet?" Togami seems to consider this, then chuckles. "Hmm... I don't think anybody has ever had the audacity to give me such a nickname..." Hinata goes on to ask him about why he's not angry about it, and the imposter heir launches into a tangent that Gundam tunes out.

"Well then, like Togami-kun said, if we work together, we'll make it through this! As friends! Comrades!" Komaeda smiles happily.

"Ooh, Big bro Komaeda, you sound like a total dork again!" Saionji informs him, rather bluntly.

"Ah, sorry. I had a feeling it was a bit hammy." Komaeda laughs it off, and the students disperse. Togami gives Gundam a stare of suspicion before walking away. The animal breeder sighs. He turns to look at Komaeda and Saionji, interested in discussing the current situation, only to find himself with a face full of Sonia Nevermind. The princess smiles at him cheekily.

"Uh... may I help you?" Gundam raises an eyebrow at the girl. She takes a step towards him, nearly pressing herself up against him. Gundam takes a half step back.

"Oh, I was just wondering if you wanted to come investigate with me."

"Well I uh-" She cuts him off by grabbing his wrist and pulling him along.

"Great!"

"Huo-!" As the princess yanks him after her, Gundam catches a glimpse of his two companions standing next to the pedestal. Komaeda has an amused smirk on his face, while Saionji's arms are crossed in annoyance. He feebly waves at them before finally being pulled out of sight by the hyperactive foreigner.

* * *

After hours of 'investigating' (which was really Sonia investigating Gundam's interests over a cup of tea or ten), an announcement comes over the monitors.

"Um... this is the Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Executive Committee. It's time for some long awaited recreational activities! It's making me jittery just thinking about it! Come down to Jabberwock Park for the mandatory school activity!" The announcement ends with a hiss of static. Gundam sighs.

"Oh. I guess our investigation is over, Tanaka-san." Sonia cocks her head and smiles unhappily.

"Aye. Let's get moving." Gundam, reluctantly, extends a hand to her, which she gladly takes. They walk to the park together. Gundam grunts when he realizes they're early, the only others there being Togami, Nanami, and Nidai. The animal breeder shoots a fleeting glance at the empty stage sitting in front of the pedestal. Other students slowly trickle in. Saionji dragging a somewhat flustered Koizumi. Mioda and Tsumiki. Owari and Souda, the latter glaring at Gundam as he passes. Hinata is, like always, the last to arrive. He walks with Pekoyama, surprisingly.

"Hmph. I smell a touch of cowardice here." Both of the new arrivals stare at the imposter heir blankly. He rolls his eyes. "Whatever. It looks like we're all here now."

"Man, what does Monobear want now?" Souda slips a hand under his beanie to fist a hand in his hair. Kuzuryuu laughs at him.

"If you're just gonna stand here and bitch about it, then you shouldn't have come." The gangster smirks. Souda just glares at him.

"Sh-shut up, dude! Who knows what would have happened if I didn't come? Monobear said it was mandatory."

"Y'know, that's a pretty good question. Why don't you pussy out now, just so we can see what happens?" Kuzuryuu takes a step towards Souda, eyes glinting intimidatingly. The mechanic takes a timid step back.

"That's quite enough! I bet you only came because you were _scared_." It's Koizumi of all people who decides to stand up for Souda. Said boy nods vigorously.

"...Eh? What'd you just say? Sorry, I don't understand _bitch._" Kuzuryuu turns his glare to the photographer. She puts her hands on her hips.

"Well I never! " Koizumi clicks her tongue. "Hmph. I'd bet even a high and mighty 'gangster' like yourself couldn't even handle Monobear." The gangster's face turns red.

"Oh yeah?!" Kuzuryuu reels back his fist. In an instant, Gundam is between them, catching the boy's fist in his hand. With a quick shove, Kuzuryuu is sent stumbling back. He manages to balance himself out, then grunts. "Hah. You stupid shit."

"Oh? You were the pathetic mortal attempting to hit one weaker than yourself." Gundam crosses his arms and closes his eyes, cracking one open to stare at Kuzuryuu after a second thought.

"Hey! Weaker? What are you implying?" Koizumi glares at Gundam, who snorts.

"All I'm saying is that human females are typically weaker than the males. That is all."

"Oh ho ho, look at this. Mr. White Knight is getting told off by the stupid slut he was trying to protect." Kuzuryuu spits a glob of phlegm at Gundam's feet. Both the animal breeder and the photographer turn to him in anger.

"You dare?" "S-Slut?!" The three quickly start shouting at each other, stopped only by Togami, Hinata, and Komaeda physically pulling them back.

"Guys, guys, please! We're all friends here, we shouldn't be fighting." Komaeda nervously utters from behind Koizumi, holding the fuming girl by the shoulder.

"Feh. Friends? Hah, don't make me laugh, you idiot." Kuzuryuu slaps Togami's hand off of his shoulder, glaring at the imposter. "Let me make myself clear, you shit heads." He smirks, staring at Koiuzmi and Souda in particular. "I will not even _hesitate_ to murder one of you."

"Wh-wh-what?" Hanamura stutters out, clutching at his shirt.

"Why... why would you say that?" Tsumiki blubbers, already wiping away her tears.

"Why do you think, dumbass? I don't give a shit about any of you. Not a single one. Am I clear here?" Kuzuryuu crosses his arms with a satisfied harumph.

"_Crystal._" Gundam stares down the gangster, who glares right back. The crowd is silent for a moment, when Hinata of all people speaks up.

"Y'know Kuzuryuu... how about you calm down a bit? Fighting isn't going to do us any good." The boy glances over at Koizumi and Gundam. "You guys too." Gundam scoffs. Koizumi huffs.

"Don't say my name so lightly. You know how easy it would be to cut your fingers off on and sell them on the black market? Individually?" Hinata takes a surprised step back, bumping into Gundam. "Ooh yeah, not so tough now, are ya, Mr. No Talent? That's what I thought. You idiots have no idea where I came from. These rules that Monobear guy came up with? So much easier than that old 'become friends' shit. I fuckin' grew up like this. Don't test me."

"Don't test you?! There's no need for that when we've already determined how much of a prick you are!" Koizumi jabs a finger at Kuzuryuu, who just rolls his eyes and looks at the rest of the silent crowd.

"Oy, somebody shut this whore up, would ya? I'm getting' sick of this bull." Koizumi's mouth opens and closes silently, making Kuzuryuu chuckle.

"...Enough with this petty name calling. It's getting us nowhere." Pekoyama stands still, surprisingly. Or that's how it would seem to somebody unaware of her affiliation with the gangster.

"Shut up. Why should I take part in this messed up activity where we all 'pretend' to be friends? Nobody here is friends, you all know that _damn _well." Gundam scoffs at the gangster's words. Mainly because there are people with friends. He lets the yakuza heir keep talking though. "Hell, I don't give a rat's ass about these damn rules either. Someone try to kill me, right now. I dare you."

"Ooooooh yeah! A challenge! Let's go, right now!" Owari takes a step forward, glaring excitedly at Kuzuryuu. He shifts into a fighting stance. Gundam sees the experience in it and wonders if the gangster really does have more than just his bark.

"...Are we done here?" Togami stares at Kuzuryuu, who falls back into a neutral pose.

"...Huh?"

"Kuzuryuu, I understand how you think. I too once thought that way." Togami crosses his arms with a cocky smile.

"Yeah? Who cares, fatso?! Don't treat me like a kid!"

"Oh, believe me Kuzuryuu, I'm not treating you like a child. You're doing that for me." Kuzuryuu grunts angrily, clenching a fist, but Togami keeps going. "But use that peanut brain for a moment. I doubt you even read the rules. If you can't hide the murder, it will be _you_ who dies next. And with all these witnesses here, do you really think that it would be wise to kill here? Or perhaps, that's what you want?" The imposter heir's eyes connect with Kuzuryuu's. "You want to be found out and executed? A roundabout way of committing suicide so you can escape this predicament? Because that would be truly childish."

"Y-you... you..." Kuzuryuu goes blue in the face, but can't sputter out anymore.

"Listen here. _I_ am your leader. I will not let a single person die under my command. That includes you, Kuzuryuu," The heir turns to glance at Koizumi, "you, Koizumi," Next, Togami's gaze bores into Gundam's retinas, "and you, Tanaka." He nods and faces the rest of the group. "And all of you lot as well."

"D-don't act like such a pretentious bastard..." Kuzuryuu's voice has lost most of its zeal, his words ringing hollow.

"Hmph. That is a good point, Kuzuryuu. Had I been a normal person, this would just be some reassuring talk that would leave your minds the moment I finished. But I am not a normal person. I am Byakuya Togami, the Super High School Level Heir. And I can make it happen."

"Kukukukuku... so cool! Ibuki's going numb..."

"Ah, on the contrary! I'm getting all tingly!" Both Mioda and Hanamura are shushed by a glance from Togami.

"Feh. You can't tell me what to do. I'll do what I want..." Kuzuryuu looks unsure of himself, staring passively at the sky.

"Of course. As long as what you want does not involve murder." Togami dismisses Kuzuryuu, then turns to Monobear. "You may speak." Everyone turns, surprised, finding the bear standing there in a blue suit jacket.

"Ah, I wasn't really sure when to come in, since you guys were having such an interesting conversation and all..." The monochrome bear rubs the back of his head guiltily. "But uh... anyway..."

"What's with the outfit?" Nanami cocks her head curiously.

"Oh, this? It's for today's recreational activity, of course."

"Does that mean..." Saionji trails off, waiting for the bear to finish. He takes the bait.

"Yup! It's a hilarious comedy act fit for a tropical island! Isn't that right, dearest Monomi?" He steps to the side, revealing the sniffling rabbit in a poofy, frilly dress. Gundam chokes back laughter, and judging by the sounds made by the group, so do a few other kids.

"Hmm... I figured as much..." Nidai snorts, picking at his ear.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Alright you bastards, prepare to laugh your hearts out, maybe even literally, at 'Monobear's Amazing Super Cool Dual Comedy Act'!" The crowd is silent. Monobear was clearly expecting applause. "What's with the silence?"

"...You must be joking." Gundam sighs, pulling his scarf up. Monobear just laughs.

"That's the spirit!" Monobear drags Monomi onto the stage, cackling all the while. When he reaches the platform, the curtains swing closed for a moment. When they swing themselves open, Monobear and Monomi stand behind a microphone, with a string of lights hanging over them. "Good evening, ladies and gents, I'm Monobear!"

"A-and I'm Monomi..."

"Together, we're the Monobearz!" "Together, we'we the Monobeawz..." Gundam snorts. This is ridiculous. What's the point of this charade?

"Alright, let's start out with my special mind reading technique! I call it, the All Seeing Monoeye!" "That's a pwetty widiculous name..." "_Anyway_... Think of your favorite food!" "I-I'll give you a hint. I'm a wabbit..." "I think it's... ca-" "Go on!" "-davers!" "Wah wah wah what?! I don't eat dead people!" "Yeah uh huh, okay. Oh no!" Monobear glances down at his wrist, then thrusts it out towards Monomi. "Look at the time!" "B-b-but you don't have a watch!" "Look closer!" When Monomi leans in, Monobear uses his other hand to bop Monomi on the head. "Ow! That weawwy hurt..." "Oh don't cry so much. I'm just ending the show." "But it's onwy been a few minutes!" "You want to keep going?" "..." "Yeah, that's what I thought." Monobear throws out his arms. "Tadaaa! That's for watching Monobear's Amazing Super Cool Dual Comedy Act!"

"..." A pin dropping could be heard. Monobear slowly falls back into a resting position, staring at the sixteen unamused faces staring at him. The bear slaps himself in the face.

"Ugh, jeez. Fine I'll keep going. Kids these days, so hard to please..." He puts his arm around Monomi threateningly. "So Monomi, how about we talk about you?"

"M-me?" Monomi looks nervous, glancing around. "Wh-wh-what about me?"

"Oh... you know... just how rude you were to these kids. Not very nice what you did." The group glances around at each other, confused. "I mean... that's some serious stuff."

"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about..." Monomi frantically looks at the kids, wiping off some sweat.

"You don't? Hmm... I could have sworn them having their memories stolen was _your_ doing, after all."

"Howawawawa?!"

"And they weren't even dumb memories either! No, it wasn't silly things like falling in the shower or not being able to pay for lunch because you spent more than you had. It was actually..." Monobear leans forward, his red eye glinting evilly. "Your entire school life. That's right, you bastards! All those years you spend at Hope's Peak? Gone!" He cackles in amusement, smashing Monomi roughly in the head with his fist. "That isn't even an original plot device!"

"..." The kids are silent, this time for a different reason.

"H-hey now..." Hinata anxiously holds a hand out, then lets it drop to his side.

"Well well well, are you bastards amused now? I worked really hard on that routine, you know. Although could it be that you're not laughing because my comedy is too high-brow?..." Monobear jumps off of the stage, removing his suit jacket and tossing it haphazardly onto the ground.

"Oy... what was that all about?" Togami tries to hide his surprise and shock.

"What was wha- ooooh, you mean the comedy act?" Monobear chuckles. "I'm telling you, maybe it was a bit too high-brow."

"Not that, you dumb shit! The memories thing!" Kuzuryuu clenches his fist, waving it aggressively in Monobear's direction.

"Oh. _That_. Well it's simple. They were taken away. Jeez, how many times to I have to say it?"

"Well uh... that's not true though... right? Ibuki's first day at Hope's Peak was today..." Ibuki plays with her hair, anxiously looking around at the others. "...Right?" A few of the others hesitantly nod in agreement.

"Yeah, but that's what they want you to think, you know."

"H-hold a moment... but that's... impossible?" Sonia says unsteadily, playing with her bow.

"Dunno. But if it is true, how much time do you think has passed? What's happened to all of your friends and families, I wonder?" Monobear shrugs. "I think the worst part is you probably won't ever get to find out." Horrified gasps sound out. Gundam clenches his fists. This isn't right. Why does this bear have all the information it does? It's not like it's part of the program.

"What... what do you mean?" Souda chokes out, clutching his beanie in his vice-like grip.

"Eh? Oh, I mean... this bomb looks pretty dangerous, doesn't it?" The bear casually motions toward the giant timer on the pedestal. Someone screams, and a few accusing glances are shot at Togami. "It sucks, doesn't it?"

"D-don't wisten to him, childwen! He's lying!" Monomi flails her arms about wildly.

"Yeah, you bastards! Don't listen to me! Listen to the punk who stole your memories instead!" Monobear throws back his head and laughs while Monomi sputters. "But I think I have a deal to offer you. It's much better than anything that rabbit can do!" He spins around on a stubby foot with a cackle. "I know a way out of here! I'll bring you bastards with me!" Everyone freezes up, staring at the bear.

"N-n-now hold on!" Koizumi stutters out. "We don't even know if it's actually a bomb or not!"

"That much is true! But are you sure? Would you bastards bet your lives on it?" Monobear snickers at the silence. "That's what I thought. Back to my benevolent offer..." He spins around again. "I'll really get you guys out of here, but on one condition!" Gundam knows what's coming, but it still horrifies him to hear. "I want a murder. Just one little killing. That, mon amigos, is my one, nonnegotiable condition!"

"Hey! Shut up!" Owari glares angrily at Monobear, face contorted in fury. "You've been sayin' too much for way too long!"

"Ack, so cruel! I just wanted to help you guys!" The bear acts offended. "But look on the bright side! Now you have a _motive_ to kill! All you guys needed was a little push, I'm sure!"

"Fool! You think anyone will kill just because of your mad stories?" Togami clenches his fist and points angrily at Monobear.

"Y-yeah! I don't even believe your dumb stuff anyway!" Owari takes a threatening step towards Monobear.

"Okay. You might not. But somebody else might." Monobear chuckles.

"Wh-what's that supposed to mean?!" Souda shouts, and Gundam can tell he's on the verge of tears again.

"I mean, you bastards know next to nothing about each other." Monobear throws back his head in a maniacal screech. "I mean, you haven't even noticed the traitor among you!" Gundam freezes up in shock. A quick glance reveals the same look on Komaeda and Saionji's faces. "Only fifteen of you were supposed to be here! Which means one of you is a filthy traitor!"

"Oy! Tell us who it is, you fuckin' toy!" Kuzuryuu shouts angrily.

"Ah, don't yell at me! I don't know! I mean, it's not like I can see everything here! This traitor must be really crafty though! I mean, messing around with you bastards like it's a _game_! Treating you like _animals_, making you do silly _dances_ for their amusement. Hoo boy. _Good luck _finding out who they are though." Monobear puts emphasis on a few words. Words that would seem random to most of the others. Not to Gundam though. No, those words are all too clear to him. Monobear knows.

"Y-you're lying!" Koizumi accuses, raising her arm to point, but slowly dropping it back down to her side when the bear just keeps giggling.

"Maybe I am! But who knows? They could be scheming a murder _right now_! Ahahaha!" With an explosive laugh, Monobear walks away, his laugh echoing through the air for a few moments before fading out.

"I-is one of us really the traitor?..." Tsumiki asks before glancing around. She then pulls up her arms in front of her face and wails. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to accuse anybody!"

"TRAITOR! REVEAL YOURSELF AT ONCE!" Nidai roars, letting off that intense aura of his.

"Enough! Both of you! There is no traitor. Why would there be? Monobear is just saying that to scare us." Togami chastises the two and crosses his arms angrily.

"Y-yeah... that's obviously right... there's no traitor among us... None of this is real anyway..." Hanamura fidgets, pushing his fingers together.

"Monomi can answer our questions, right Mono-" Pekoyama turns to where Monomi was standing, only to reveal an empty space. "mi?..." The students glance around for the pink and white rabbit. Nothing. Gundam swears under his breath. That coward. They needed to talk. The monitors crackle to life.

"Um, This is an announcement from Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Executive Committee… It's 10pm! Rest peacefully to the sound of the soothing ocean waves. Pleasant dreams, and good night!" As the announcement fades away, the group stands silently, almost waiting for something to happen.

"Feh. Fuck this. I'm out." Kuzuryuu walks away, mumbling something about traitors and rabbits.

"...He has the right idea. This is an order from your leader, people. Go to bed. We'll need it. Tomorrow. Also, we will start gathering for breakfast in the morning at the restaurant. No exceptions." And with that, Togami hustles away, a few other students slowly following him. Gundam feels himself trudge after the imposter heir. Before he knows it, he finds himself in his cabin. He lands on his bed face down with a 'wumph'. He barely feels the hamsters scurry out of his scarf, just in time to avoid the second weight falling on top of him. He hears his door shut and the area next to him dip. Gundam just closes his eyes.


	10. Act 1: Party Hard

Gundam wakes up, once again, trapped under something. A sleepy look to his right reveals Komaeda sitting next to him on the bed, slumped against the wall. The luckster snores quietly. He knows who's on top of him now. Not that there's really any doubt who it is. The morning announcement pings happily throughout the cabin, waking Komaeda. He looks around tiredly and sighs.

"Another day, huh?" He yawns and stretches his arms. Komaeda then lightly nudges Saionji off of Gundam. The animal breeder rolls onto his back and stands up. After cracking his back, Gundam shakes the sleep away.

"Alright. Let's get moving. We must gather at the restaurant." Gundam grabs Saionji under the arms and hauls her to her feet. She sways unsteadily, but Gundam moves his hands to her shoulders and shakes her. One of the faults that really made it hard at night before they met the Future Foundation was the fact that Saionji was a heavy sleeper. Her head lolls back, and she groans quietly.

"...Let's go back to sleep." Gundam sighs. He extends an arm, and his hamsters jump from their perch on top of his bookshelf onto his hand. Most of them retreat to Gundam's scarf, but Star-Destroyer Grey Fox San-D scampers down his other arm and nuzzles the dancer's face. She mutters quietly, but slowly cracks open her eyes to glance at the hamster.

"No. We must meet the others at the restaurant." Gundam says. The dancer groans, but stumbles after Komaeda and Gundam anyway. They exit the cottage, the silence of the morning hitting them. This is surprising, considering Gundam can see at least three people loitering around the pool. The trio trudges toward the restaurant. Gundam sees that the figures at the pool are Koizumi, Kuzuryuu, and Nidai. They all glance at the three as they approach. Kuzuryuu flips the three off and goes back to pushing leaves around the surface of the pool with a stick. Saionji runs over to Koizumi, who wraps the girl in a hug. Nidai nods at them. Gundam and Komaeda proceed to the restaurant, where Sonia, Hanamura, and Souda anxiously sit. Soon after Gundam grabs a plate of food similar to the previous day's and places himself next to Sonia, other kids start coming in.

"...Is everyone here?" Togami glances around, doing a head check. He grunts. "Where are Hinata and Kuzuryuu?"

"I saw Kuzuryuu outside." Pekoyama mentions. "He said he's not coming."

"Hmph... Now's not the time for his stupid 'lone wolf' act..." Koizumi blows a loose lock of hair out of her eye with an aggravated puff of air.

"H-he's probably trying to think of a way ta kill someone!" Souda shouts out, stabbing at the air with the chunk of bread in his hand.

"Souda-san! Do not jump to conclusions!" Sonia chastises him. The mechanic just looks upset.

"B-but you heard him say it! We all did! He said he wouldn't hesitate to kill anybody!"

"Enough. I doubt Kuzuryuu is going to come, no matter what we do. That's who he is. Now what about Hinata?" Togami looks at everyone. "Has _anyone_ seen Hinata? Anyone?" The imposter lets silence settle in before sighing. "Tch. Whatever. Somebody can tell them later. Although, finding Hinata will be top priority when we finish here, understood?" He waits until he gets a few nods before continuing. "Good. I have made an important decision as leader. We will throw a party. Tonight." Everybody turns to Togami in confusion.

"...What?" Gundam looks at Togami curiously. "What has gotten into you, grandiose one?"

"Do I need a reason?" The imposter heir crosses his arms.

"Um, yeah. You kind of do!" Koizumi makes a move to stand up, but sits back down again. "You're doing it again. You should at least consult us before you make nonsensical decisions like this!"

"Nonsensical? Please, I have a reason." Togami brushes off her complaint. "Anyway, this party's attendance is mandatory. No exceptions. And you must stay for the entire party. Make sure you get rest during the day, for it will be all night."

"A-a-all nighter?! Ibuki hasn't pulled an all-nighter since... like three days ago!" Mioda clutches her face in what can only be mock horror. Gundam rolls his eyes.

"Yes, an all nighter. And I'm going to need a crew to help me clean the lodge."

"The... lodge?" Nidai asks.

"Yes the lodge. Did you not see the building off to the side of this hotel?" Togami asks.

"Yeah but, Togami-kun, the lodge is... well... falling apart." Komaeda says.

"Ah, thank you for making such an obvious observation." Togami rolls his eyes. "There's a reason I assembled a team to help me."

"Hold on! You can't just... 'assign' people to work with you! They have to consent, you know!" Koizumi stands up this time, waving a hand around.

"Fine." Togami shrugs and pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Mioda, Nidai, Hanamura, Owari, Souda. Would you like to help me clean the lodge?" Mioda nods excitedly and Nidai shrugs. Hanamura nods and runs into the restaurant's kitchen to get his cooking supplies.

"Can I finish breakfast first?" Owari pauses her feast.

"If you arrive at the lodge by 9:30."

"Deal." Owari goes back to stuffing her face. Souda looks forlornly at Togami.

"I don't wanna."

"Ooh, ooh! I'll take his place! It is a rare chance in a blue moon for me to do cleaning!" Sonia raises a hand excitedly, pointing at herself.

"Eh?! If Sonia-san is cleaning... I'll do it!" Souda grins happily.

"There. Satisfied?" Togami turns to Koizumi with an eyebrow raised. She flushes red and sits back down.

"Whatever." Koizumi angrily stuffs her mouth with a bite of egg, and Saionji glares at Togami. The imposter heir gets up.

"Alright. Cleaning crew, come with me." He points an imposing finger at Komaeda. "You stay here. Make sure she comes to the lodge at 9:30 on the dot or I'm holding both of you responsible." Komaeda scratches his cheek with an unhappy smile.

"Ah... sure thing Togami-kun."

"The rest of you. Up. Get moving. Go find Hinata. I want you," He points his sausage finger at Gundam this time. "To come talk to me when he is found, understood?"

"Me?" Gundam glares sullenly at Togami.

"Did I stutter?" And with that, the imposter tromps down the stairs, his cleaning crew sans Owari following closely behind. The rest of the students reluctantly get up and mumble angrily. Gundam, upset with his being picked, heads to the beach. He figures that a little while listening to the waves would give him a bit of peace of mind. When he arrives, however, someone had apparently beat him there. Figuring he might as well spend some time with others for once, Gundam heads over to the figure, only to take a step back in surprise when he gets closer. Hinata sits under a palm tree, one coconut half in each hand, carefully stripping the white flesh off of the inside and eating it. He appears lost in thought.

"Hinata! You fool, you were supposed to meet us for breakfast at the restaurant!" Gundam shakes a finger at the boy, scolding him. Hinata turns around, staring at Gundam with half lidded eyes. Eyes that are red-tinged. "Huo-!" Gundam stumbles back again. "Wh-what is wrong with you?!"

"Who cares?" Hinata raises his brow slightly and turns back around, going back to slowly eating the coconut in his hands. "Go tell 'Togami' you found me. That fool probably appointed himself leader, didn't he? I bet you Koizumi isn't too happy with that, is she? Hah." The kid that looks like Hinata, for he cannot truly be Hinata, snorts.

"Wh-who are you?!"

"Who am I?... That's a good question, I suppose." The kid stands up, brushing the sand off of the seat of his pants. He turns to face Gundam, his face blank. "Hmm... most people call me Kamakura, I suppose." He tosses the coconut halves into the ocean, then wipes his hands on his pants. "Tell me, who are _you?_"

"Hn-" Gundam forces himself not to take a step back. "I-I see no reason to reveal that information to you, vile imposter. What have you done with Hinata?"

"Hinata?" The boy looks genuinely confounded for a moment before smiling ever so slightly. It is, quite frankly, the scariest thing Gundam has ever seen. It just screams malevolence. "Ah. The no talent boy who usually inhabits this mind..." Gundam has no idea what he's talking about. "Interesting fellow he is. I will return him shortly. Just... one question, Mr. Mystery. Is Togami cleaning up the lodge right now?" Gundam mutely nods. The boy's evil chuckle embeds itself in Gundam's head. He'll never forget it. "Heh. Thank you." 'Kamakura' puts his hand on Gundam's shoulder and suddenly the world goes dark.

* * *

Gundam wakes up in his bed with a pounding headache. A hand flies up to massage his temple. The animal breeder slowly looks around, his brain beating against his skull with ever movement made by his eyes. He closes his eyes to let the darkness soothe his aching head for a moment before shakily standing up. It had to have been a dream. His suspicions are confirmed when he stumbles to his door to find it not only shut, but locked. Why he had locked it is beyond him, but at least it was him. Right? As Gundam leaves his cabin, he notices the sky tinted orange and red. It's getting dark? How long had he been out? In his haze, the animal breeder doesn't notice the curtains over his bed billowing gently from a breeze coming from the window he had never opened.

* * *

"Imbecile! Where have you been?!" Gundam winces as Togami's shout rattles his skull.

"I felt unwell after departing breakfast. I left for my cottage and slept the sickness away." The animal breeder stands unwavering against the intimidating girth of the imposter.

"..." Togami stares him down silently. Gundam stares back. They stare at each other for a while. Mioda comes up, hauling a small table along with a sobbing Tsumiki.

"Yo! Boss! Where do you want Ibuki and Mikan-chan to put this tay-tay-table you asked for?!" The musician wedges herself in between the two boys. Togami averts his gaze from a smirking Gundam, looking at Mioda in irritation.

"Put it in the hall. With the other tables." Mioda salutes, nearly dropping the table on her foot in the process.

"Sure thing! Let's go Mikan-chan! Try not to fall down again, no matter how funny it is!" Mioda drags the table and a crying Tsumiki along with it. ("D-d-d-don't talk about it please!" she wails). Togami turns back to Gundam.

"You're _positive_ that all you did was go to your cottage and take a nap? Nothing else?" Togami's voice is laced with accusation. Gundam snorts.

"Please. What would I have to gain from lying to you?" The animal breeder rolls his eyes, which seems to really tick off Togami. More than he already is anyway.

"Whatever. Get out of my sight." Togami points at the front door of the lodge. Gundam sneers at Togami from behind his scarf and stalks off. As he exits the lodge through the front door, Souda screeches like a dying animal. Gundam stumbles into the door frame in surprise.

"What is your mental hindrance?!" Gundam shouts at the mechanic, jabbing him in the chest with his index finger. When Souda sees who it is, he just glares at the animal breeder.

"Why don't you shut up?! I'm trying to work here, and you're disrupting me!" Gundam glances at the ladder behind the boy and the tools littered around.

"Working? You look like you're playing with toys. Maybe when Togami actually needs something done, skittish one, he'll get someone who can actually do something." Gundam smirks as he sees Souda's eye twitch.

"Yer bein' a real twit, ya know that?!" Souda shoves Gundam back by pushing his shoulders. The animal breeder quickly regains his balance. "Just fuck off!" The mechanic looks more skittish than normal.

"Hmph. Maybe if you sounded more like a man when you squeal, then I wouldn't have to poke fun of your lack of testosterone." Gundam snorts at Souda before walking off, ignoring the profanity slung at him.

* * *

Gundam sits on a pool chair, listening to the endless chatter of the three girls next to him. How he managed to get dragged into these things is beyond him. If he had been allowed to take sides, he would have taken Koizumi's, because the photographer hadn't wanted him to be here. Hell, he didn't want to be here. But Sonia, who had been kicked out of the cleaning crew, and Saionji had somehow managed to convince the redhead to let him sit with them. So now he's stuck here; slouching so much he's practically horizontal, arms crossed, and scarf hiked up all the way past his nose.

"...What's your take on it, Tanaka-san?" Sonia turns to him, and suddenly the conversation has stopped as the three girls wait for his response. He just grunts. Mostly because he doesn't care, but also because he has no idea what they're even talking about.

"Hey! Answer her!" Koizumi puts her hands on her hips, glaring at the animal breeder.

"...Pythagoras was a very gifted individual." He says the first thing that comes to his mind. The girls glance at each other in confusion.

"Hehe. I bet big bro Tanaka wasn't even listening! What a huge dummy!" Saionji balls up her fist and bonks herself on the side of the head with it. Koizumi rolls her eyes.

"I told you we should have let him be. Men like him really don't care about civilized conversation." Koizumi scoffs and puts their chat back on track. Gundam lets the jab go. They stop a moment later when the night time announcement comes on over the monitors.

"Oh boy! I don't think I've ever been to a casual party before! It's going to be hella exciting, I bet!" Sonia happily springs to her feet. Saionji cheers and hauls Koizumi to her feet. Gundam reluctantly stands up. They walk the short distance to the lodge together, Gundam sulking at the rear while Sonia gladly leads. When they get to the front door, Togami stops them.

"Arms out, legs apart. All of you. Go." Sonia immediately complies, looking rather forlorn. The other three are somewhat hesitant to follow. "Now." They reluctantly take up their positions. Togami starts with Sonia, patting down her arms, legs, shoulders, chest.

"Eew, Mr. Porkfeet!" "T-Togami! That's inappropriate!" "What is the meaning of this?!" Togami glances at the three protesting kids.

"What? It's a full body search. It's mandatory to get into the party." He snorts. Sonia just sighs.

"If I had known this was going to be similar to the parties we have back in Novoselic, I would have brought something more appropriate to wear... I'm sure they have bomber jackets at the supermarket, yes?" Sonia gazes up, lips pursed, lost in thought. The other four kids stare at her in confusion. Togami resumes he search before nodding.

"You're clean. Who's next?" None of the others respond. Togami sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You all have to go. I'm not letting you leave or go into the party until you get searched." They stand silently for a few moments before Koizumi steps up, cheeks dusted red.

"Just hurry up." Togami nods, following the same routine he did with Sonia. The photographer fidgets, trying to hide the embarrassment on her face. The imposter finishes with her, then turns to Saionji. He stares at her for a few seconds before sighing.

"Saionji, you're next." Togami quickly pats down the giggling dancer. He then turns to Gundam with an unamused look plastered on his face. Gundam crosses his arms, staring at the imposter with his brow raised. Togami sighs. "Hurry up Tanaka."

"I refuse to participate." Gundam glances away, watching the three girls enter the lodge. Togami groans.

"Don't be such a child. You can let me do it or I'll have Hanamura do it and I'll make sure he's _thorough._" Gundam tenses up, then sighs and spreads his arms out. After a few moments and a quick argument over whether or not the animal breeder could bring in his hamsters, Togami lets Gundam go. "You're clean. I better not see hamster feces everywhere.

"Please. The Four Dark Gods of Destruction know better than to defecate on the floor. Fool." They glare at each other until they hear someone approaching.

"...What are you guys doing?" Nanami cocks her head curiously, while Komaeda chuckles. Hinata rubs his head. Togami turns to Hinata.

"You! Where have you been?!" Hinata winces, pushing a hand against his temple.

"Augh... I've been sick. My head's been hurting since I got up an hour ago. I just learned about this party." After the boy's explanation, Gundam and Togami turn to look at each other. Hinata had a similar story to Gundam. This couldn't be a coincidence. Gundam watches carefully as Togami checks the gamer, the luckster, and Hinata. Hinata is the only one that really puts up any sort of resistance, and it's just him complaining. Once finished with him, Togami nods.

"Alright. Head straight to the main hall. Don't go anywhere else." Togami dismisses them, turning Pekoyama and Owari as they approach. "Arms out, legs apart." The four head into the lodge, heading straight for the designated location. Nidai, Mioda, and Tsumiki are already there, along with Sonia, Saionji, and Koizumi.

"Yooooooo! The gang's coming up! Let's get this party started! Wooooo!" Mioda cheers, then elbows Nidai in the side. The coach grins, tilting his head back and yelling.

"OH YEAAAAAAAAAH!" They stomp their feet excitedly. Tsumiki giggles nervously. Hanamura comes in, plates of various foods balanced on his arms. Souda follows him, holding a few similar plates.

"Oh ho ho, looks like the party is starting soon! It's a good thing I'm almost done with the food, eh?" Hanamura chuckles, arranging the plates on one of the tables, taking Souda's plates and setting those up as well. A few other students trickle in, greeting the ones already there. When they see Hinata, Mioda and Koizumi approach, questioning him about his whereabouts all day.

"I don't know. I'm sorry, my head just hurts. I don't remember. I was sick... or something. I didn't wake up until way late." Hinata brushes them off, receiving a rebuke from Koizumi as a result. Pekoyama and Owari come in, the latter making a beeline for the food. Hanamura makes a feeble attempt to hold her back, telling her to at least wait until the party starts. Soon after, Togami comes into the hall, shoving Kuzuryuu into the room with him.

"Yeah? Fuck you too, asshole!" Kuzuryuu flips the imposter off, getting in his face. Togami casually stares back at the gangster.

"Did I not tell you the party was mandatory?"

"Yeah, you did. But that don't mean I have to attend!"

"Actually, that is exactly what it means." A few snickers cause Kuzuryuu to turn to the room, red-faced.

"Shut up, you shitheads!" He storms off to the corner of the room, kicking a lamp that is on one of the tables. It falls off and hits the floor with a dull thud. Kuzuryuu then hops up onto the table and sneers, staring at the ground. Togami's eyes follow the gangster, but get caught up on something on the food table. He stomps over and, much to everyone's surprise, begins eating some sort of skewered meat. Hanamura stops holding Owari back, and they both scamper over to the heir.

"T-Togami-kun! I understand that my cooking is irresistible, but please, at least wait for the party! I-I haven't even brought everything out yet!" Hanamura wrings his hands nervously, unsure of what to do with them.

"Wah! Stop! I haven't even gotten to taste yet! Don't eat it all!" Owari looks clearly upset, grabbing Togami's arm. The imposter stops eating, slowly turning his head to look at Hanamura. The cook shrieks in surprise and stumbles back, covering his face with his arms.

"Hanamura. Explain this now."

"W-w-well it's a skewered meat dish from South America. I thought that us being, y'know, on a tropical island the theme would fit and-" Togami cuts him off.

"No! Not the food! The skewers! Where did these come from?!" The imposter bellows, causing Hanamura to cower again.

"Th-the kitchen. Uh... sir." Togami sighs.

"Come with me. Hinata, you too." Togami marches toward the door, skewers of meat in hand. He stops by a table with two cases on them and grabs them both in one hand. When he reaches the door, he glances behind him, finding the two boys frozen in place. "Now." Hanamura and Hinata reluctantly trudge after the imposter, leaving the rest of the kids in the main hall. Conversation quickly starts up between them, and soon the room is abuzz with pleasant talk.

"...But, like, it was crazy, there were people flying everywhere! That's when Ibuki roundhouse kicked the guy in his face, shablam!" Gundam listens in amusement to Mioda's story, along with Nidai, Koizumi, and Tsumiki, of a time she was involved in a mosh pit at one of her concerts.

"D-did he get medical treatment?" Tsumiki timidly asks.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah! Like, there were tons of ambulances. Ooh, and cops. They were arresting a bunch of people! That's when Ibuki roundhouse kicked a cop's face in, shablam!" Gundam and Nidai recoil in surprise.

"You... attacked a defender of the law?!" Gundam questions, surprised at the supposed bombastic action of the light music club member.

"Yup! Why do you think Ibuki is here to tell you the story today?"

"Ibuki-chan, perhaps assaulting a police officer wasn't the best thing to do..." Koizumi nervously chuckles, as though the police are going to find the girl just by talking about it.

"Mahiru-chaaaaaaan, how did you expect Ibuki to get away?! If she didn't kick the cop man, than she would be in jail still!"

"S-still?!" Nidai stares in mortification. Mioda just rolls her eyes.

"Yeah. They were totally overreacting though. It was like, Ibuki said 'cop-chan, no need to be so severe' and cop-chan yelled 'you fractured the guy's jaw' or maybe it was something like 'you made his brain hemorrhage!'" The four listeners stare at Mioda in horror. "What?" Their attention is drawn away from Mioda as the door swings open, revealing the three boys that had left. Togami looks relatively the same, if straining a bit more to carry the cases in his hand. Hinata just scratches his head while Hanamura looks upset, probably because Togami confiscated all of his stuff.

"They're back!" Saionji exclaims in excitement. "I wonder if Mr. Porkfeet was sneaking a taste at some of the food that hasn't come out yet. How greedy!" She giggles, and Togami just snorts, setting one of the cases down on the floor.

"So you're done? Alright, let's eat!" Owari practically jumps for the table of food, only for Togami to grab her by the shirt collar. She slumps in defeat. "Oh come on... what's left to do?..."

"Relax. I just need somewhere... safe, to store this." The imposter holds up the other case.

"Have someone guard it." Pekoyama looks up from the plate of food she's gathering. Togami looks a little ticked off due to her partially disobeying his 'don't touch anything' rule.

"Well then you should be fine with guarding it, right? I'm assuming that's what you were going to suggest?" Togami raises an eyebrow, and Pekoyama nods. "Very well. Take this," He hands her the case. "as well as your food down to the office down the hall. That will be a fine place to guard it."

"Yo, you forgot about that other case." Souda jabs at the second case with his thumb. Togami rolls his eyes.

"No, I did not. I am keeping that one with me."

"Wow, that's unfair Mr. Porkfeet! How come you get to keep your stuff?"

"Because I have special privileges. I _am_ special." This draws a few scoffs and snickers from the group. Owari jumps to her feet, collar still in Togami's iron grip.

"Alright, we finished the box thing. Let's ea-"

"We're not done."

"Noooooooo! Lemme at it, I'll take it down!" Owari cracks her knuckles. Gundam can see tears forming in her eyes. He rolls his. She's being melodramatic.

"Now wait, Owari... we can't just solve all of our problems with violence." Hinata tries to calm the gymnast down, with little effect.

"Hold on, Hinata. She might have a point with this one. A certain someone needs keeping away, after all." Hinata sighs. Everybody knows who Togami is talking about.

"...I think I have an idea to keep Monobear away." The group turns to Nanami in surprise.

"Do you now?" Togami crosses his arms and waits.

"Heh, I see your crafty plan, thoughtful one." Gundam chuckles, glancing in the gamer's direction. "You intend to employ the use of the rabbit, do you not?"

Nanami nods. A murmur goes throughout the room. "Wow, that's a good idea..." " Hee hee, Monomi-chan isn't very smart y'know." "Yeah and somebody always wins in their little fights, and it certainly isn't her..." "If it'll help, I don't see how bad it is." Togami silences them all with a wave of the hand.

"Very well. Nanami your plan is approved. Go guard the front door. Pekoyama, head down to the office." Mioda waves to the two girls as they exit the hall. Owari turns to Togami, with some difficulty, her eyes sparkling in hope.

"C-can we eat now?..." Togami smirks, letting go of her collar. "Yahooooooo!" The gymnast leaps forward, stuffing her face and a plate with food at the same time the moment she gets to the table. Gundam, along with a few others, laughs. The party has finally started.

* * *

Gundam glances around. Despite there only being thirteen teens in the room (Hanamura, running in and out of the hall, delivering food), they had managed to cause quite a ruckus already.

"You're fucking cheating, you little shit! Where are you hiding your cards?!" Kuzuryuu, despite his insistence that he neither wanted to be here nor make friends, loses another hand of poker and slaps his hand onto the table, pounding his fists against the wood. He, Komaeda, Tsumiki, and Sonia had found a deck of cards and started up some card games. The luckster laughs, along with Sonia, and takes off his jacket.

"Look, Kuzuryuu-kun. No tricks. I'm just really lucky."

"Yeah?! Then play me again, you liar!" He turns to the nurse, who cowers when he shouts at her. "Deal me in or I'll sell you overseas!" The girl sobs and deals everyone a new hand.

"Whoop whoop! Hall time! Ibuki's got a mad party vibe!" Mioda kicks the door to the main hall open, nearly catching Hanamura with it. The cook stumbles back, almost dropping his trays of food in the process. The light music club member charges out into the hall with Saionji hot on her heels.

"FORWAAAAARD!" Nidai stomps after her, cheering.

"Oh yeah!" Souda scampers after the three.

"Akane-chan, maybe you should slow down..." Koizumi stops taking pictures for a moment, glancing at the gymnast with a worried look. Owari turns to Koizumi, attempting to say something. Food flies out of her mouth, and the photographer squeaks, pulling an arm up to cover her face. "Akane-chan! Don't talk with your mouth full!"

Gundam smirks at Togami's flustered appearance, as though he thought he could actually control fifteen other teens. "Hey! Stop yelling!" The imposter points at the poker group, earning a 'shut up!' from Kuzuryuu. "Come back here!" He tries to stop Mioda's group from heading into the hall, with little effect. He grabs Hinata's shoulder and shoves him towards the door. "Follow them!" Hinata reluctantly does so. "Don't eat all the food!" He jabs an intimidating finger at Owari, causing her and Koizumi to glare at and ignore him. The imposter groans in exasperation. Gundam laughs, taking a sip of the bubbly drink in his hands. Togami turns to glare at _him_. Gundam just shrugs at the imposter.

"Avert your gaze, grandiose one. I have no need for your judgmental stare." He shoots Togami a cocky smile. The imposter seems like he's about to respond when there's a loud click and cold air floods the room. Gundam raises an eyebrow and looks around, head whipping around, trying to find the source of the sound. It sounds... off. A few others glance around curiously as well. "What in the name?..." Suddenly, the gentle hum that filled the air, unnoticed, goes silent and the main hall is plunged into darkness. A scream and a few bangs ring out in the darkness. Gundam takes a few steps and ends up slamming into someone.

"Ah! Ow!" Feminine. Probably Koizumi. He takes a few steps in a different direction and trips over someone. "What the fuck, where am I?" Definitely Kuzuryuu. Gundam topples to the floor, slamming his head onto a table on the way down. Something falling on his chest knocks the wind out of him. "Oof! Sorry!" It's a girl. Gundam guesses Sonia or Tsumiki, which means he's near the poker table. Possibly. Gundam hears people panicking about the darkness.

"Th-th-the power's out!" "No shit!" "Help, I can't see anything!" "L-lets stay calm, guys!" "Oy, everyone, shut up and stop moving!" "Wow, I can barely see my food. When did this happen?" Gundam struggles to get the person on his chest off, with little effect. There's a loud rumble, and then the ground itself shakes under him. A few more people scream, and the person on his chest starts crying. It's Tsumiki.

"I-I-I'm so sorry, person! I'm... I'm stuck and this is scary!" Gundam just grunts, trying again to get the nurse off of him. He feels a tugging on his ear whenever he moves his head, but ignores it. The Four Dark Gods of Destruction furiously chitter in his other ear. Gundam is just glad they got out of his clothes before he hit the ground. His head pounds angrily, and he's ninety-nine percent sure that it's bleeding. Just as suddenly went out, the lights come back on, searing Gundam's eyes. When his vision clears up, he finds himself in a rather... embarrassing position. It seems the nurse had tripped over the lamp cord in the darkness and landed on his chest, spread eagle. Her legs were held that way by the lamp cord and Gundam's scarf. Tsumiki sits there, scrubbing at her face with her fists. Gundam, meanwhile is a mess, with a small amount of blood pooling under his head and soaking into the carpet, as well as trapping Kuzuryuu under his legs. The gangster flails around and swears. The three are splattered with food and are overall ridiculous looking. A few nervous laughs float through the room, and Togami and Koizumi come over to help untangle the nurse. Mioda, Nidai, Saionji, and Hinata run into the room to find the scene there. The girls laugh as well.

"Hey, hey, Mahiru-chan. This would make a great picture, you know!" Mioda chimes in, and Saionji nods in agreement.

"Yeah, Big sis Koizumi, get one, quick!" Koizumi scratches the back of her head in embarrassment.

"I-I don't really take those kind of pictures..." Hinata and Nidai jog over, quickly helping get the three untangled. Gundam picks up his hamsters as he stands up, both his head and his pride wounded. Everyone glances around the room. Two of the three tables are flipped over. Food and playing cards are everywhere. Part of the floor is actually caved in from where someone must have fallen.

"...Woah." Hinata says. That's all there really is to say. Souda and Hanamura run into the room.

"I-i-is everyone alright? The power outage wasn't in just the kitchen, I take it?" Hanamura looks around at the scene. "Oh look at this mess! All of this good food, gone to waste..." The cook laments his fallen dishes as Togami shouts out.

"Everyone, line up. I'm doing a head count." The ruffled and messied kids reluctantly line up, and Togami counts each one. He frowns in concern. "...Where are Nanami and Pekoyama?" Another rumble shakes the lodge, and Tsumiki loses her footing, ending up in Togami's arms. The imposter rights the sobbing nurse and looks around in concern. "What was that?" He looks to the others for clarification. Nobody says anything.

"I-It sounded like an earthquake." Souda clutches his head and tears up. Gundam look at him.

"Quit your crying, skittish one. Even if it _was_ an earthquake, it's not something you need to cry over. Goodness." Gundam rolls his eyes and scoffs.

"Shut up! What if the entire damn house came down on us?! Then we'd all be dead!" Souda whimpers. "I don't wanna die man... I don't wanna..."

"Enough! Nobody's dead." Togami snorts. "They probably didn't know the lights went out."

"One thing wrong there, Mr. Porkfeet." Saionji waves her hand around condescendingly. "The lights were out in the hallway too. It was probably out for the whole lodge. I can see that dopey gamer not noticing, but Big sis Pekoyama's too sharp for that. She would be here, y'know." Nods of consent. Togami cringes, he knows she's right.

"You three!" He points to Gundam, Hanamura, and Koizumi. "Go check on them. The rest of you, help me clean up this mess."

"I'm going too." Kuzuryuu takes a few steps towards the door, staring back at Togami, daring the imposter to stop him. He just raises his eyebrows in response to Kuzuryuu's look.

"Fine. Just hurry up." The group of four reluctantly head out of the main hall, stopping at the office. The door is open, and they enter. It takes them about half a second to determine that Pekoyama isn't there.

"What the fuck. She's supposed to be here." Kuzuryuu says. Gundam can hear the worry in his voice.

"Maybe she went to check on Nanami..." Koizumi stares nervously at the case on the desk. The three boys turn to look at it. Hanamura gulps audibly.

"Wh-wh-why didn't she bring the case with her?... She's supposed to be guarding it..." The cook stutters out. Gundam sighs.

"There is only one way to find out." The others nod, Kuzuryuu clenching his fists nervously. They leave the office, turning the corner. Immediately, they see something off. Dust floats around the door, which is suspiciously open, obscuring the view. Bits of wood and metal lay around the frame and around the entrance. But one thing is unmistakeably clear. That is the pair of white shoes laying on the ground, connected to the black, tights covered legs of Peko Pekoyama. Who's upper half is buried under a pile of wooden rubble. Hanamura screams. Koizumi gasps, going blue in the face. Kuzuryuu grunts and clutches at his chest. Gundam takes a step back, bumping into Hanamura. The animal breeder and the gangster run forward, the other two at their heels. They see the splattered blood and crumpled body. They smell the dust and the musty scent of death. And the worst thing is what they hear. Nothing. The sound of death. Then the monitors crackle to life, dinging happily.

"A body has been discovered! After a short period of investigation, we will start a 'School Trial!'" Monobear's taunting voice rings out through the lodge, quickly followed by an uproar of fear and outrage coming from the main hall. But that is far from the end. Hanamura tugs on Gundam's sleeve, shakily pointing forward. Gundam's gaze shifts up, and a scream catches in his throat. Because he sees another, larger pile of rubble. And the only thing that is visible from under this pile is an arm. But this one cannot belong to Pekoyama, because it's too far away. And the animal breeder chokes as he realizes who it is. For that arm is covered by the sleeve of a jacket that cannot belong to anyone else. The hand belonging to the arm is just another clue, clutching the strap of a pink backpack that spills video games across the deck of the lodge. The backpack, the hand, the arm. They belong to none other than Chiaki Nanami. And that damned announcement, cawing of the discovery of yet another body, resounds through the lodge. If the people in the main hall were upset before, they were furious now, for the sounds coming from that part of the lodge could make a deaf man hear again. But the worst part of the evening is when Kuzuryuu drops to his knees and screams in anguish, clutching the leg of the deceased Pekoyama. Hanamura faints, hitting the floor with a gentle thud. Koizumi grabs Gundam's arm and wails in horror. The animal breeder himself stands numb. Not one death, but two. As he, too, drops to his knees, Gundam can only think of the fact that this wasn't supposed to happen.


	11. Act 1: Pekoyama and Nanami's Final Match

"You fucker! You lied!" Kuzuryuu stomps over to Togami. The kids from the main hall had run over, moments after the death announcements. Now the group stands at the end of the hall, staring at the rubble and Pekoyama's corpse. The imposter stays silent as the gangster marches up and punches him in the stomach. Togami clearly feels it, but not as much as Kuzuryuu must have hoped, as he stays standing. "You lied, you lied, you lied!" Kuzuryuu beats on Togami's chest, tears pouring down his face. "You said nobody would die! You fucking promised! Now she's dead!" Kuzuryuu drops to his knees, sobbing. "Peko's dead because you didn't protect her... She's dead..." Most of the group turns away, letting Kuzuryuu keep what small amount of privacy and dignity he has left.

"..." Togami just looks down at the sobbing gangster. He sighs. "I know. I'm willing to take full blame for this. But that isn't important now."

"It's not important?!" Kuzuryuu gets to his feet and shoves Togami with all his might, causing the imposter to take a small step back. "Fuck what you think! She's dead! They're both dead! Why the fuck should we listen to what you have to say?!"

"Because I don't want anybody else to die, Kuzuryuu! I understand how bad you feel about them dying, but we can't let that impede our judgment right now! We need to focus on the investigation!" Togami's voice bleeds emotion, stunning Gundam. He wasn't aware it was possible for the imposter to feel like that. He supposes all people have emotions, even those that don't show it. The animal breeder dislodges Koizumi from his arm, causing the girl to crumple to the floor. Saionji runs over and helps the photographer stabilize herself. Gundam takes off his jacket and drapes it over Pekoyama's lower half. There's nothing more he can do for her at this point.

"Who cares about the damn investigation?!" Kuzuryuu takes a step back, shooting Togami a betrayed glance.

"I dunno, Kuzuryuu-kun, you might want to do the investigation. It would be a shame if all of you died because you didn't know what to do in the trail." Monobear holds his hands behind his back, smiling maliciously.

"Get out of here you, stupid toy. We're not in the mood for your shit." Hinata says, glaring at the bear. Monobear looks at the ground, his head tinting blue.

"Boo hoo... I just wanted to give you something to help with the investigation." Monobear holds up two devices similar to their Student IDs. Togami snatches them from the bear, looking them over suspiciously.

"What are these?"

"The Monobear Files, of course!" Monobear smiles cheekily again. Togami turns them on, then looks disgusted and hands them to Hinata.

"Ugh. Whatever. Your work here is done. Get out." He points toward the door and Monobear sulks.

"Togami-kun, so harsh. Next thing I know you'll be kicking me off the island too." Monobear exits the lodge, leaving the fourteen kids in the lodge entry hallway. The silence is deafening. Gundam leans against the wall. They're all waiting for something, anything, to come and tell this isn't real. Gundam even pinches himself. He feels the small prick of pain and shakes his head.

"..." Komaeda separates himself from the groups, addressing the others. "...We need to start investigating, guys."

"Y-you can't be serious..." Souda stutters out.

"I hate to say it, but I am. We need to be brave, muster our courage, and use the strength of our hope in victory to find the culprit." He smiles comfortingly, but Gundam can't help but think that the other kids find it creepy. "We need to survive here! There's no reason for us to die just because we didn't want to do the necessary."

"I concur." Gundam straightens up. "This is a thing that needs to happen. We cannot just curl up and die, for that is what the vile toy wants us to do! We must show that beast that we will not be taken down by an event such as this!" He jabs a finger up into the air.

"As dumb as these two sound, I agree." Saionji nods, holding Koizumi in a tight hug. "Monobear's just a huge idiot if he thinks we're gonna get taken out this early!" The trio nod at each other and Gundam takes a step.

"Let us begin!" The others stay silent. Gundam clenches a fist and glares at the paralyzed kids. Perhaps it's the fact that seeing the dead is no rare occurrence to him, or maybe because he doesn't really understand why they're being so fearful. Sure, the 'death' of these kids is concerning, but so is that of everyone else. "Come now! I cannot solve this on my own!"

"...Tanaka is right." Hinata says, glancing around at the others. "We have to start now. Who knows how long Monobear is going to give us to investigate."

"Get moving, you lot." Togami says quietly, then pulls apart from the group. Everyone disperses, heading to different places in the lodge. Gundam, Komaeda, Kuzuryuu and the still passed out Hanamura are the ones remaining by the door.

"Well... It looks like we're the ones investigating the porch, huh?" Komaeda says, a nervous lilt in his voice. Gundam nods. Kuzuryuu stays on the ground near Pekoyama's body. The animal breeder shakes his head and places a hand on Kuzuryuu's head.

"D-don't fu-fuckin' touch m-m-me..." Kuzuryuu hiccups, wiping his eyes. He makes no move to move Gundam's hand, however. Komaeda, having dragged Hanamura towards the wall and out of the way, sighs and steps carefully over Pekoyama, Gundam following him. They survey the ruined lodge porch. It seems most of the awning hanging over the porch had collapsed, crushing the gamer and the swordswoman.

"Tanaka-kun, do you see what's going on here?" Gundam nods.

"The bodies. The piles of rubble covering them are mostly separate. Which means..."

"They were killed at separate times."

"Exactly." Gundam stares at the piles of rubble. "...But what does _that_ mean?"

"No idea." Komaeda pulls out his Student ID and types something out on it. A moment later, Gundam's buzzes in his pants pocket. The animal breeder pulls it out, curious, and opens it up. One of the tabs, labeled 'Evidence', is flashing. Gundam opens it up. It has one subtab called 'Rubble' that also flashes insistently at him. Gundam sighs, opens _that_ up and reads the entry there out loud.

"'_Rubble: The rubble fell in two separate piles, one for each victim._" He turns to Komaeda. "You wrote this?" The luckster nods.

"I found it during the party. Everyone can read what's been typed out. I'm not sure how well this will work, considering the killer can change the information too... but I think we'll be fine? I'm not sure why it's here though. I guess... Monobear knew someone was going to die." Komaeda's shoulders slump, and he sighs. "This really sucks..." They hear Kuzuryuu mumble 'understatement of the god damn century' from his place by the door. They shrug and continue investigating. Gundam, while looking over the vertical support beams that supported the awning, notices something strange.

"Komaeda. Come here. Hoist me up." The luckster, with some struggle, manages to get Gundam on his shoulders. Looking over the part where the support beams must have collapsed, he sees a very noticeable flaw. "Exactly as I thought." Gundam takes a picture with the camera on the Student ID (he wasn't aware there was one until moments ago) and climbs down from Komaeda's shoulders. "Here. Look at this" Gundam shows him the picture of the support beam.

"Huh." The beam in the picture is cleanly cut through, no torn patches anywhere indicating that it collapsed on its own. "Well, I guess now we just have to figure out how they cut the support beams, huh?" Gundam nods and adds a note to the 'Evidence' folder. '_Support Beams: The support beams holding up the awning over the front stoop are broken, which must have been what caused the collapse. Upon closer inspection, they appear cleanly cut through._'

Gundam gives the deck one final glance, satisfied with their search of the area and turns to leave when Komaeda grabs his shoulder. "Tanaka-kun, wait. Look what I found." The white-haired boy holds out a piece of... wire?

"...What is that."

"A metal wire. There's more of them littered around. This was the smallest one."

"Why are you holding it?"

"It's out of place."

"...How?"

"It's too thick to be part of the lights," Komaeda gestures toward the porch lights, which dangle loosely from their previous places on the wall. They must have been knocked loose by the collapse. "and it's snapped here on the end." Gundam just rolls his eyes.

"It was probably used to help support the awning. You're making too big a deal of it." Gundam turns to head inside. He feels the Student ID in his pocket vibrate, then Komaeda moves to catch up to him. Gundam checks the new note. '_Wires: Strange metal wires found on the lodge's porch. They look broken._' "Seriously?"

"It looks important. Don't brush off the small things." Komaeda shrugs. The two boys step over Pekoyama and Komaeda turns to Kuzuryuu. "Kuzuryuu-kun, are you coming?"

"I'm guarding the crime scene, shit hole." The gangster sits cross-legged on the floor, next to Pekoyama. Gundam makes an impatient sound.

"Leave him. We have more to do." The animal breeder keeps walking, Komaeda glancing worriedly at Kuzuryuu before trotting up to Gundam. As they pass by the main hall, they hear a heated argument from two people they didn't think were... capable of having an intelligent argument, much less with each other.

"I'm telling you, you're wrong."

"Uh... no. Ibuki knows when she's right. And she's positive everyone was there. Plus, Akane-chan was buried in her food the whoooole time."

"Yeah well, you must not know much, because you're wrong here. I definitely saw them."

"Nuh uh."

"Yeah huh."

"NUH UH!"

"YEAH HUH!" Owari and Mioda shout at each other, 'arguing' for about half a minute before Komaeda and Gundam step in.

"Ladies, ladies, calm down!" Komaeda comes between them, pushing Mioda back. Gundam grabs Owari by her shoulders and pulls her away. "What's going on here?" Owari cocks her head and glares at the light music club member.

"This girl think that I'm wrong. I'm obviously not."

"You totally are!" Mioda flails her arms, smashing her chest up against Komaeda's in an attempt to get past him. "Akane-chan is insulting Ibuki's ability to be right!"

"No, _you're_ insulting_ my_ ability to be right!"

"Stop copying Ibuki!" "Then stop copying me!" The girls try to hit each other, riled up, while the boys hold them back. Gundam nearly loses grasp on the gymnast at one point. Komaeda eventually calms them down, turning to Owari with Mioda still behind him.

"Okay, Owari-san. What are you talking about?"

"Well it was earlier today when we were eating lunch." Komaeda nods, then catches the confused look on Gundam's face.

"Oh, it was when you were... out. Some of us had gathered for lunch. That's all." The luckster smiles at Owari. "Sorry. Continue please, Owari-san."

"Yeah okay. So I'm like eating that stuff from the kitchen, Hanamura's stuff is so much better by the way, and I get up to grab more food. Then, while I'm filling my plate, I look out the window. I can see two people walking towards the lodge. I think they went inside or something."

"Hmm..." Komaeda pulls out his Student ID and taps a few things out on it. "Thank you, Owari-san. This could be helpful." Gundam feels his ID buzz and pulls it out. '_Owari's Testimony: Owari saw two people head towards the lodge during the lunch break.'_ Komaeda, clearly unable to hold back the energetic musician anymore, turns to her. "H-hey Mioda-san, I think I heard Togami-kun over there..." Mioda instantly stops pushing on the boy, causing him to stumble back.

"Byakuya-chan?!" She scampers off, leaving Owari with the boys. The gymnast relaxes and picks at her ear.

"Eh... I think I'll go see if Hanamura has any food left." She trudges off, leaving Gundam and Komaeda alone.

"Now what?" Gundam receives an answer in the form of a loud banging. The two boys head over to a hallway Gundam didn't know was there to find Nidai and Hinata standing near a door. They catch the tail end of their conversation.

"...stuck. There's no way."

"I'm telling you, we just need to TRY HARDER!"

"I really don't think that's going to help."

"Ah, hello Nidai-kun. Hinata-kun. How's the investigation?" Komaeda smiles at the two boys, the coach smiling back.

"Ah. Komaeda. Talk some sense into the boy." Nidai whacks Hinata on the back, making him stumble forward. "He doesn't have enough spirit!"

"Ack! Nidai!" Hinata catches himself, straightening up and glaring at the coach. "Be more careful, god." He then turns to Komaeda and Gundam, clarifying. "Nidai thinks this door is important. He's trying to break in."

"This door was not stuck BEFORE!" Nidai shouts, ramming the door again. It groans wearily. Gundam pushes the two to the side and tries the door knob. It moves as though it's locked, but judging by the type of door, Gundam can tell that it's actually jammed. Breaking in would be the only option.

"Nidai. Assist me." Gundam gestures toward the door and the coach grins.

"ALRIGHT!" He rears back, lifting a leg. Gundam does the same. "On my count! ONE, TWO THR-"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Monobear appears behind them, arms raised. He bares his teeth at them. "What are you doing?! You're not allowed to destroy school property!" Monobear snarls, stomping up to the group. Gundam stares at him, eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"It is necessary for the investigation." Monobear begins sweating, wiping off his 'forehead'.

"O-Oh. Well pardon me then." They watch the bear turn the corner.

"THREE!" Nidai shouts and kicks the door. Gundam's kick soon follows, and the door lets out an injured creak. "ONCE MORE!" They kick together this time, and the door swings inward with a loud snap, slamming against the wall and falling off of its hinges. Gundam feels his pocket buzz. Komaeda reads out what he typed. '_Storage Room Door: The door to the storage room was jammed. It had to be broken down to get into the room. Nidai claims it was open when they were cleaning.'_ Komaeda turns to Nidai.

"It... _was_ open when you were cleaning the lodge, right?" Nidai grips his chin in thought before nodding.

"Yes, I'm sure of it." The four boys head into the storage room. Nothing is out of the ordinary. Except for the setup of four irons on top of an ironing board. Three of them are cranked up all the way, but the fourth, while hot, is still approaching the max temperature.

"...What." Hinata stares at the three irons, then goes over and unplugs them. "That's stupid. Someone jammed the door shut to protect three irons? Seems ridiculous."

"Mu... perhaps I was wrong about the importance of this room..." Nidai scratches his chin.

"Perhaps... it does seem a bit strange to block off a part of the lodge just for four irons, though." Komaeda taps something out on his Student ID. Gundam is looking at his before it buzzes. '_Irons in Storage Room: Four irons were found in the Storage Room, plugged in and turned on.'_ Gundam sighs and glances around.

"Is anything else out of place?" Komaeda and Nidai look around the room.

"I don't think so..." Nidai says. Satisfied, Komaeda turns to the door and motions for Gundam to follow. The animal breeder heads after Komaeda, and turns to see the other two boys following them. As the group of four walk past the main hall, Gundam hears another argument. He breaks off from the others, grabbing Komaeda, and heads in to find Koizumi and Togami arguing. Again.

"And this was _where_ exactly?"

"That's really none of your concern!"

"It is if we're trying to find out anything relating to the culprit!"

"It doesn't matter where we were, but _who_ we were with!" Both the imposter and the photographer stand aggressively. Komaeda motions toward Togami, then heads over to Koizumi. Gundam reluctantly walks in Togami's direction. He gets in front of the imposter, earning an irritated grunt from him. Komaeda lightly pulls back Koizumi.

"Now now, guys. Now is not the time to be arguing... What's going on here?" Komaeda chuckles tensely, detecting the hostility between the two. "What are you arguing about?"

"This... _girl _is telling me that she had an unauthorized meeting around lunch time." Koizumi throws up her hands in exasperation.

"It was _a picnic_! We had a picnic!" Koizumi glares at Togami and turns to Komaeda. "Me and a few of the girls had lunch in Jabberwock Park. Togami here is getting riled up for no reason."

"You should have come to me before hand, so I knew of your whereabouts and wouldn't have to suspect you."

"Now _I'm_ a suspect?!" The photographer shoves Komaeda's hand off of her shoulder, stomping off. "Whatever. I'm done with you."

"Ack. That didn't go as well as planned, I suppose..." Komaeda sighs and types out something on his ID. "We'll have to go to Koizumi-san to get the rest..." As he turns to leave, Togami shoves past Gundam, marching up to Komaeda.

"You. Are you the one adding things to this 'Evidence' tab?"

"Oh uh, yeah." Komaeda timidly scratches the back of his head. Togami stares him down. Just as it looks like Komeada's about to start sweating, Togami turns away and snorts.

"...Okay. Then I'm putting you in charge of it. Anything not added by you will be disregarded during the trial, am I clear?" The white-haired boy glances at Gundam knowingly and nods.

"Sure thing, Togami-kun." Komaeda walks to the corner of the room, Gundam in tow, towards the angry redhead who now talks with Saionji, the latter sitting on the table that the poker group had used. The dancer lets loose a high-pitched laugh.

"What an idiot!" She kicks her legs in amusement. Koizumi just scoffs and nods in agreement.

"Uh... Koizumi-san. Is this a bad time?" Komaeda asks. The photographer turns in irritation, but sighs and responds to him anyway.

"For what?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you who was with you during your lunchtime outing."

"Hmm..." Koizumi glances off in thought before looking at Komaeda. "It was me, Hiyoko-chan, Mikan-chan, and..." She chokes up, taking a deep breath before continuing. "P-Peko-chan and Chiaki-chan." Gundam winces at 'Chiaki-chan'. Too familiar.

"Thank you, Koizumi-san." Komaeda brushes off his uneasiness. Gundam's eyes wander lazily, catching something interesting. He grabs Komaeda's shoulder as his ID buzzes. '_Alibi Check: Around lunch time; Togami, most of the cleaning crew, Komaeda, and Kuzuryuu were at the restaurant. Koizumi and the rest of the girls were at Jabberwock Park. The only ones without an alibi during this time are Hinata, Tanaka, and Souda.'_ Gundam stares at the message in confusion.

"Hold a moment. Souda wasn't with you?" Komaeda shakes his head.

"Togami-kun told him to stay behind and watch the lodge. Souda-kun asked if he could head back to his cottage to get some tools, which Togami-kun agreed to." Komaeda shrugs, then glances at Gundam's hand. "Was there uh... something you wanted to show me, Tanaka-kun?"

"I bet Big bro Tanaka just wants to be _real_ close to you, Big bro Komaeda!" Saionji jeers. Gundam shoots the dancer an annoyed look, to which she responds by placing a hand over her mouth and puffing out her cheeks.

"...Anyway. Look at that." Gundam points to the air conditioner near the table Saionji sits on. The display shows it set to 12:00 am. Komaeda, along with the two girls, turn to look at it. Komaeda's eyes widen in realization, and Koizumi lets out a surprised 'oh!'. Saionji pouts.

"I don't get it." Komaeda logs something on the ID, which Gundam glances at when it comes up. '_Air Conditioner: The air conditioner in the lodge's main hall was set to go off at 12:00am, the time of the blackout.'_ With a satisfied nod, Gundam releases the luckster's shoulder.

"Let us go. We waste time standing here." Komaeda nods in agreement.

"Hey, hold on." Koizumi requests, holding out a hand. She quickly retracts it. "Ah, never mind."

"No, no, please. We're all ears, Koizumi-san." Komaeda smiles reassuringly.

"Well... I'm not sure how useful it'll be, considering of all the evidence you've collected already... but uh... well I took some pictures and I was thinking..." Koizumi trails off, and Komaeda grins at her.

"You were wondering if the pictures showing who was in the main hall would help any." Koizumi hesitantly smiles at him.

"Yeah. Here, look." She turns on her camera, and the three kids near her lean in to look. She has a bunch of photos. One with Gundam posing somewhat dramatically while Togami stares in annoyance. Another with Owari stuffing her face. And one with Komaeda, Sonia, Tsumiki, and Kuzuryuu playing poker. They flip through some more, but they just feature the same seven people. Komaeda grips his chin in thought.

"Hmm... so it seems that half of us were in the main hall, and half of us were not..."

"If the murderer caused the collapse during the blackout, it would have been near impossible for them to carry out such a nefarious deed in this miniscule room. There was enough chaos to begin with, not to even mention it being black as the night." Gundam says, mostly to himself.

"So it couldn't have been anyone in the main hall, is what you're saying?" Saionji chimes in questioningly. Komaeda just adds the clue to the tab. '_Photographs:_ _Koizumi took pictures showing that Tanaka, Togami, Owari, Komaeda, Sonia, Tsumiki, and Kuzuryuu were in the main hall at the time of the blackout.'_

"Thank you, Koizumi-san. That was very useful." Komaeda similes pleasantly at Koizumi, making her flustered.

"I-It was? I mean- yeah. Of course. No problem." The photographer nods.

"Let's go Tanaka." Saionji waves enthusiastically at the boys, Gundam slowly waving back. Having done all they can do, Komaeda and Gundam exit the main hall, once again coming face to face with Mioda. The musician pouts.

"Byakuya-chan wasn't over there, Nagito-chan. Lying to Ibuki wasn't very nice."

"Goodness. Begone, we are trying to investigate." Gundam waves Mioda away, but she just stays there, pouting.

"No need to be so rude, Gundam-chan." Komaeda has an epiphany, apparently. His face lights up and he taps Mioda on the shoulder.

"Mioda-san, may I ask you a favor?"

"You need to tell Ibuki where Byakuya-chan really is this time!" Komaeda scratches the back of his head guiltily.

"Yes, yes of course. But about the favor..." Komaeda pulls out his ID to type something out. "So, Mioda, if I remember correctly, your hearing is amazing, is it not?"

"Ah, that it is. That it is, Nagito-chan." Mioda smiles cockily and nods. "Ibuki's hearing is amazing. 'Da bomb', if you will. Or hella, as Sonia-chan might say. Or maybe even-"

"Enough." Gundam cuts her short. The light music club member glares at him.

"Ah, thank you Tanaka-kun... So uh... Mioda. I take it you heard your friends who were out in the hall during the blackout, right?" Mioda nods, an eyebrow raised. "Could you tell me who you heard?" Mioda smiles.

"Oh Nagito-chan. You truly came to the right person. That person being Ibuki, of course. Let's see..." Mioda presses her index fingers to her temples and squeezes her eyes shut. Gundam is positive this is for show. "Everyone said something, Ibuki believes. It went something like this..." She pauses for a moment. "'Aah! So dark! I wonder if Mr. Porkfeet planned for this!' Hiyoko-chan said that." Mioda purses her lips. "Then it was... 'THIS IS NOT RIIIIIIIGHT!', which Nekomaru-chan screamed. Funny guy he is. Then Teruteru-chan yelled 'What's going on?! It's dark out here too?' Finally, Ibuki herself said a very, very insightful comment. It went something like this: 'Oh my god, the lights are off!'" Mioda pops up into the air and then curtsies. "Tadaaaaaa!" Gundam glances at Komaeda. The white-haired boy glances back.

"Melodic one, you are positive that this is everything you heard?"

"Uh!" Mioda puts a hand on her hip and waggles a finger in Gundam's face. He leans back and bats the hand away from him. "Gundam-chan! You should know better than to question Ibuki's hearing ability. That's everyone she heard in the darkness! One hundred per-cent pos-i-tive-ly sure."

"Ah thank you again, Mioda-san." Komaeda adds an entry to his ID, Gundam pulling it out and checking it. '_Mioda's Testimony: During the blackout, Mioda heard the voices of Saionji, Nidai, and Hanamura.'_ He nods.

"Komaeda. You do realize the glaring consistency with all of these location testimonies, I would assume?" Gundam crosses his arms, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah... unfortunately." Komaeda sighs and slips the device back into his pocket. "I want to check one more thing before we make any concrete decisions." He just stares at Gundam as the animal breeder scoffs. "What? I don't want to wrongly convict anyone." Gundam just rolls his eyes. They turn to leave, but Mioda grabs their sleeves and yanks them back, harder than expected. Komaeda manages to stabilize himself, but Gundam isn't so lucky, toppling to the ground along with the light music club member. Gundam swears as his elbow bangs against the ground.

"Fool! Do you know how much effort it took to weave this shirt from the finest of 'Dream Threads' snatched from the goddess of sleep herself?!" Mioda ignores his and places a hand on his chest, shoving him down and using him as a springboard to jump up. Gundam's head and back hit the ground and he finds himself staring at the ceiling, lights flashing across his vision.

"Nagito-chan! You can't just leave! Help me find Byakuya-chan! You promised!" Mioda, without a second thought, drags a protesting Komaeda away. As Gundam lays there on the floor recovering, a ruffling in his muffler draws his attention from the swirling lights.

"Eh?" He sits up and holds out his hand. Red Steel Elephant Maga-G scurries out onto his palm and chirps at him. "What is it, my lord Maga-G?" The hamster chitters and seems to point at something. "What do you see, all-mighty one?" Gundam places Maga-G on the ground, and the hamster scampers away, slipping in between the floor boards. "No! Maga-G!" Gundam jumps to the area where the hamster slipped under the floor. He can see the vague shape of the dark god scampering around, as well as some other strange object. He watches Maga-G run a lap around it, then look up at him and chitter. "Yes, of course! I will get you!" Gundam jumps to his feet and makes a beeline for one of the two rooms in the lodge that could lead to the apparent crawlspace. He has no time to check outside, Maga-G must be released from his prison as soon as possible. The animal breeder nearly kicks down the kitchen door. A weary Hanamura watches in fascination as Owari stuffs her face. Both of them turn to Gundam as he enters, one surprised and the other uninterested.

"Ah... Tanaka-kun. Welcome. Would you like to make it a threesome in the kitchen with us? The atmosphere has certainly heated up ever since Owari-san came into my humble abode." The cook chuckles, cut short by Gundam marching up and grabbing the front of his shirt, lifting him up half an inch. "O-oh my!"

"Tell me, pretentious one. Do you or do you not know the layout of this kitchen?"

"U-uh yeah! Obviously!" Hanamura raises his arms in defense as Gundam barks at him.

"Then do you know of any portals to the area below this building? Speak curtly, or I may just smite you myself, lest you need to face the horrors of the Four Dark Gods of Destruction!"

"C-Calm down, Tanaka-kun! N-no need to hurt me!" Hanamura cowers. "Help me, Owari-san!"

"Eh?" The gymnast stops cramming food into her mouth for a moment. "Wah buh fuuf ooh eh?" The boys stare at her for a moment before turning back to each other.

"Just reveal the location of any passages to under the lodge before I get angry." Gundam tightens his grip, glaring at the cook.

"I-I'm sorry, Tanaka-kun! I-I-I don't know what you're talking about! There aren't any passages or anything here!" He clenches his eyes shut in fear. Gundam drops the cowering Hanamura back into his seat.

"That was all you needed to say. Good day to you." Gundam exits the kitchen and heads to the _other_ location that could harbor a passage. The storage room. Gundam strolls through the door frame, shooting a glance at the door laying on the ground. The room is empty, aside from the mountains of boxes piled everywhere. Gundam sighs and throws out an arm. His other three hamsters scamper out onto it. "My dark lords, I require your assistance! Let us find this otherworldly portal together!" The hamsters jump off of his arm and start sprinting around the room. Gundam himself launches into a vigorous search, moving aside boxes at what can only be light speed. But alas, after what seems like an hour, Gundam is at the end of his stamina, for the sea of boxes seem impenetrable. Just as he is about to leave the room and break the floor where Maga-G is trapped, he feels a tugging at his pant leg. He glances down at his heftiest lord, Cham-P, who trots away after catching Gundam's attention. "Hmm?" He follows Cham-P over behind a pile of boxes where San-D and Jum-P rest. Jum-P lies on top of a trapdoor. Gundam's eyes light up.

"Ah! My lords! I knew it was wise to invest in your infinite wisdom!" Gundam grins belatedly, taking a knee and scooping up his hamsters. He raises them to his face and nuzzles them.

"Aww! How sweet!" Gundam whirls around, landing on his butt. The island's blondes, Sonia and Saionji stand there. His face goes red.

"Huo-! Wh-what are you two doing here?! This was a private discovery!"

"Big bro Tanaka has a child's heart when it comes to his pets, doesn't he?" Saionji winks at the animal breeder, giggling. Sonia nods.

"Ah yes! It was so cute!"

"C-cute?!"

"Very much so!" Gundam yanks his scarf up over his cheeks and mumbles quietly.

"What is it you desire from me? I am conducting an important investigation."

"We heard you screaming from the rest of the lodge and came to check on you." Saionji snorts in amusement. "What _are_ you doing?"

"Maga-G has slipped between the cracks of this building and of reality. I must find a way to descend into the darkness below to retrieve him. It is imperative to the survival of the universe. Now if you'll excuse me..." Gundam turns from the girls and yanks open the trapdoor. Some dust is thrown up into the air, but not as much as would be expected from a door not opened for a long time. Someone went down here recently. Gundam quickly slides into the new passage, dropping about a foot and a half and landing on what is either really compact dirt or really dusty concrete. Gundam drops to his knees and starts crawling, ignoring Sonia's warning and Saionji's cheers. He places San-D on the ground. "Quick, oh mighty Star-Destroyer Grey Fox San-D, we must locate Steel Red Elephant Maga-G!" San-D scampers away, Gundam moving as fast as possible after the energetic hamster. Soon enough, he hears a familiar chitter and finds Maga-G and San-D sniffing each other next to a machine.

"What in the..." Gundam crawls forward, approaching the machine. It looks like... a backup generator. Why it's right here is beyond him. It also has something hanging out of it. He reaches forward to grasp a metal cord. He smiles despite himself. "Ah, you crafty son of a _bastard_." The animal breeder scoops up Maga-G and San-D, then pulls out his Student ID and snaps a picture of the backup generator, making sure to get the metal cord in the picture. He glares up through the darkness, at the small slits of light produced by the floor boards. He spots a small inconsistency and waits for a moment. When he sees the shadows produced by someone walking near where he is, he jams his finger up, catching the person in the flimsy sole of their shoe. They yelp and jump. "You! Stay there or I will be forced to restrict you using the most forbidden of dark arts!" Gundam quickly scrambles back to the hatch and pops up, covered in dirt and cobwebs. Sonia stands there alone, uttering a small 'oh!' when he appears.

"Tanaka-san, what's-" Gundam leaps from the hole and grabs Sonia's wrist.

"No time. Come with me." He dashes along with the princess in tow, skidding to a stop in the area where Maga-G slipped under the floor. Souda stands, tapping his foot angrily. Their eyes lock, and they glare at each other with an intensity that could roast the hottest of suns.

"You." Gundam glowers at the mechanic.

"What are you doing touching Sonia-san?" Souda scowls menacingly, sharp teeth bared in a growl.

"That is of no concern to you. Now get out of my way." Gundam releases Sonia's wrist, ignoring what either of them have to say. He stomps over to the wall, running his fingers over it slowly. He grins as he picks away a bit of plaster, revealing a hole wide enough to run a thin string-like object through. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, it lines up with the pattern on the wall. Gundam snaps a picture of it. He then grabs Souda and forces him over to the front door. Kuzuryuu and Tsumiki, who are at the crime scene, look over at them.

"What are you doing?! Stop!" Souda flails around, but Gundam keeps him still long enough to jump up onto the mechanic's shoulders. Despite the thrashing of the pink-haired boy, Gundam holds his balance long enough to spot the tiny hole the same size as the other, right next to the crease of the corner. Souda loses his balance and for the third time that day, Gundam finds himself crashing into the lodge's wooden floor. In the small amount of hang time he has, Gundam pulls his hamsters out of his scarf and holds away from his body. When he impacts, they bounce slightly and angrily twitter at him, Maga-G taking the time to apply a generous bite to his thumb. Gundam takes a moment to recover from the shock, finding a few students gazing down at him. Saionji, Hinata, Sonia, and Komaeda all look down at him in varying degrees of concern. Gundam raises himself into a sitting position, elbows supporting him.

"I am fine." Despite his insistence, Hinata holds out a hand to the animal breeder. Gundam reluctantly takes it and as the boy hauls him to his feet, Gundam notices something wrong with Hinata's hand. It looks like... pock marks? No... _bite_ marks. "Hinata. Where did you get those?"

"Eh?" Hinata glances down at his hand, glancing at the bite marks on his hand. "These? I..." The boy's face goes blank. "I don't know..."

"Peculiar..." Gundam snorts and turns away. A static fills the air, and the monitors spring to life. Monobear sits in a chair, holding a glass of what looks like some fruity tropical drink.

"Attention, attention! It's the moment you've all been waiting for! It's time for the amazing, heart-pounding, thrilling, 'SCHOOL TRIAL'! On the central island, near Jabberwock Park, you'll find a mountain that has an amazing carving of my likeness on it! Please meet there! Oh, and _this_ party is mandatory as well, no chickening out! I'll see you there!" The monitors flicker off and a few students head out of the front door of the lodge. Most of them hang back, afraid of having to see the bodies. Eventually, even the most squeamish of them has left the lodge, leaving Komaeda and Gundam.

"I suppose we should go, Tanaka-kun." Gundam nods.

"There is something I need to talk to you about that may be... vital to the case."

"Oh?" Komaeda raises an eyebrow, and the boys head to the meeting location.

"You know of the time when I was not present. Well it started when I left breakfast. I headed down to the beach to rest my mind..."


	12. Act 1: Trial and Error

"So you think... that..." Komaeda trails off. Gundam understands his reasoning, staring dumbfounded at the mountain that definitely wasn't there before. It has four Monobear heads carved into the side. Gundam thinks there's some sort of American artifact similar to this.

"What is this travesty?" Gundam scrunches up his face in repulsion. The rest of the kids stand in a loose group around the base of the mountain.

"You two are late!" Koizumi shakes a finger at them.

"Yeah! Maybe you two should spend less time flirting! There'll be plenty of time if we survive the trial!" Saionji snickers, and Gundam can tell she's hiding her fear with jokes.

"You mean when." Gundam snorts, crossing his arms.

"You're awfully confident." Togami glances skeptically at the animal breeder.

"Do you seriously believe the omnipotent Gundam Tanaka would be unable to solve this case? Heh." Gundam scoffs. "How naïve."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Save the arguing for the trial, would ya?" Gundam turns to the voice of Monobear, only to be hit in the face by a piece of heavy cloth. He pulls it away to find his jacket. He shoots a look at the bear and slowly slips the article of clothing back on. "I think you'll be happy to see who I've brought with me!" Monobear roughly tosses a crying Monomi into the center of the group. Most of the kids seem startled by the rabbit's current actions, or lack thereof. Gundam turns away, giving the rabbit time to grieve.

"Monomi-chan? What are you so sad about?" Mioda leans forward, gazing down at the rabbit. Monomi doesn't respond, keeping her arms covering her head. The kids stare at her for a few moments before turning away. Everyone sits quietly for a few moments, fidgeting.

"Alright, what the hell? Are we doing this damn thing or not?" Kuzuryuu seems to have more or less calmed down, although Gundam spots a fire in his eyes he hadn't seen before. A rumble shakes the ground and the air and Souda screams again.

"A-a-a-another earthquake!"

"I-I-I don't want anyone else to die again!" Tsumiki wipes at her face with her bandaged forearm. Gundam's eyes widen when he catches sight of the mountain. He wordlessly points at it. Komaeda and Sonia turn and stare in shock as well. Eventually, all of the students gape at one of the Monobear heads on the mountain has its mouth slowly grind open. When it stops, the air stops shaking.

"Hn..." Togami stares, clenching a fist. Suddenly, a large staircase slides out of the Monobear head's mouth, colored red like a grotesque tongue. Monobear, at the top of the staircase, jumps onto the railing and slides down, splaying his arms out when he lands.

"Tadaa! Who's ready to go to court?" Monobear cackles dementedly.

"G-gimme a break, man..." Souda clutches at his head.

"_This_ is how we enter?!" Nidai bellows, rearing back in surprise.

"This is getting ridiculous... There's no way this is real..." Hanamura casually combs his hair while he sweats uncontrollably.

"Enough. Let's go." Togami motions for the others to follow him and steps on the bottom stair. Suddenly, the stairs lurch forward, and Togami starts ascending the staircase without walking up. An escalator. Slowly, the students file onto the moving stairs, Hinata the last to climb on. When he gets on, the escalator starts retracting into the Monobear head. Gundam shudders as he passes through the mouth, one of the sharp, stone teeth grazing the top of his head. They're thrown into darkness as the mouth snaps shut much faster than it opened. Before anyone can make a sound, the lights flash on. They're in an elevator. Monobear casually reclines against the wall, smashing the one button on the control pad. The elevator shudders and drops into motion, the entire thing shaking precariously before leveling out. They stand in silence before Monobear snorts in irritation.

"Augh, you bastards are so boring! Aren't you going to have a pre-debate or something? Cmon, you have to think _someone_ is the killer, right?" He glances around and the kids in annoyance. "Oh, you're all so boring!"

"Maybe we should talk about your trashy elevator." Togami glares at Monobear.

"Wow, Togami-kun. That really hurts my feelings." Monobear places one paw against his chest and the other against his forehead. "I'm sorry, the elevator wasn't exactly designed for someone of your ah... stature." The bear leans back and clasps his paws behind his head. "Not to worry though, I wasn't exactly expecting two of you to kick the bucket so early, so I guess that helps some." The bear guffaws loudly. Gundam clenches his fist and is about to take a step when Komaeda places a hand on his shoulder. A warning glance from the luckster restrains him. Somewhat. The bear receives glares from almost everyone in the cramped elevator. It eventually jerks to a stop with a rusty groan. The doors shudder open and the kids filter out into a mock court room. A thick layer of sand covers the floor and spills into the elevator when the doors open. The walls are wooden like those of the lodge, a grim reminder of the crime scene. While they're distracted by the decor, Monobear ties up Monomi and suspends her next to the ornate throne near the center of the room. The center of the room contains some sort of circular fixture, with sixteen stands, assumingly for the sixteen kids. Sixteen pictures sit around the debate circle, one of each kid. Monobear's eye twitches, and he raises his arms in the air and bares his teeth. "Well get on with it! Get in your places!"

Gundam takes a step toward the debate circle, and his picture slowly lowers into the ground. He looks at where it went down in surprise and distaste. The animal breeder takes his place and notices that he's between Owari and Saionji. Slowly, the other kids file into their spots. Gundam notes with disgust that two pictures refuse to descend. Pekoyama's and Nanami's. Their pictures are crossed out with blood-red 'X's. Monobear climbs up into the chair with some effort. Gundam uses the time to steel himself for the trial ahead of them.

"Ahem! Let's quickly go over the rules of the class trail, shall we?" Monobear reclines in the throne. "Your task is to identify the culprit and vote on who you think it is! If you guess correctly, only the culprit will be punished. However, should you vote for the wrong person, everybody _but_ the culprit is punished! Alright, let's begin!"

"B-b-b-but where do we begin?" Tsumiki grasps her hands nervously, playing with the edge of her bandage.

"I say we find out with our fists!" Owari cracks her knuckles and Togami looks at her in disbelief.

"Did you listen to the rules?" The imposter crosses his arms and stares at the gymnast.

"Shut up you dipshits." Kuzuryuu waves his hand around dismissively. "Let's find out who's the most suspicious."

"Yeah, but where do we start with that?" Koizumi sighs in exasperation.

"Maybe we should talk about the crime scene first?" Komaeda suggests.

"They died on the porch, right?" Nidai asks. "Certainly they must have died instantly. One can only hope, of course."

"And they died in each other's company. Dying alone would most certainly be awful..." Sonia says, clutching at the bow on her chest.

"Hold on." Hinata interjects. "They couldn't have died at the same time."

"Yes, that's right." Komaeda grips his chin. "The piles of rubble were more or less separate. It would be likely that only part of the awning fell first, crushing Nanami. Then Pekoyama was killed later, when a different section fell."

"But why would the culprit murder two people? Wouldn't that just be harder to hide?" Hanamura asks timidly.

"Let's worry about the 'why' after." Togami crosses his arms. "We need to focus on the 'how' right now. For example, how did they get the awning to collapse on the victims?"

"Ooh, ooh! They broke it during the party!" Mioda bounces on the balls of her feet.

"Please." Gundam scoffs at her. "Was there anybody even capable of doing so? Were we not all tied up with the darkness?"

"But someone had to have done _something_ during the blackout." Koizumi points out. "We all felt the first rumble near the end of it, didn't we?" Nods of consent.

"So anybody not in the main hall is suspicious." Kuzuryuu throws out.

"Most definitely." Nidai agrees. "But... who was out in the hall?" The group goes silent. Gundam is aware of a few, but isn't sure why they don't say so. He's about to shout out when Hinata bumps the photographer with his elbow.

"Koizumi. You took pictures, right? It says here in the Evidence tab." Hinata pulls out his Student ID. "Maybe we can figure out who was _in_ the hall and narrow it down from there."

"Oh! That's a good idea!" Koizumi fumbles for her camera, but Monobear just chortles.

"Got you covered, bastards." A large screen on the wall lights up with a series of pictures. They showcase the same seven people. Gundam, Togami, Owari, Komaeda, Kuzuryuu, Sonia, and Tsumiki.

"So we're in the clear." Kuzuryuu says. "Now which of you bastards killed Peko?!" He slams his hands down on his stand.

"Patience. We'll find them." Togami says, staring at the gangster. "Anyway, I think all of you are missing very important point here." Everyone turns to look at him. "The how. _How_ did the awning collapse? For all we know, it wasn't anybody's fault."

"Nah ah ah, Togami-kun!" Monobear chimes in. "It wasn't an accident! There was most definitely a murder!"

"What do you even mean, Mr. Porkfeet? It's obvious they just broke the supports with a hammer or something!" Saionji snickers.

"That's wrong!" Hinata says, somewhat louder than needed for somebody right next to him. Koizumi whacks him on the back of the head and Gundam sees the boy's eyes flicker for half a second before returning to normal. "Ow!" He glares at the photographer before continuing. "There's no way Nanami would just let somebody break the support beams while she was there. Plus, the culprit themselves would have been caught in the collapse. Furthermore, the pillar was cut too cleanly to have been done right then and there. Somebody must have set something up before han-"

"Hah! That's wrong, idiot!" Owari cuts off Hinata. "Set something up? You gotta be joking. There's no way it could have been 'set up'." The gymnast proceeds to launch a bunch of accusations at the boy. He cuts through her words with an interesting development.

"Not set up before? Then show me what they used to break the beam!" Owari slings out a few more arguments, weaker than before and more unsure of herself. Hinata shakes his head and stops her with some hard evidence. "There was something at the crime scene that could indicate that it was set up before hand! The wires!" Gundam chuckles as Hinata cuts her argument to pieces.

"Eh?" The gymnast looks at him in confusion. "Wires?"

"Ah right." Komaeda shoots Gundam a smirk from across the circle. "There were some broken metal wires found at the crime scene." The picture Komaeda took appears on the huge screen. "Having set up something before hand, the culprit could have easily sawed away at the support beams with wire until it collapsed. They wouldn't even have to be at the crime scene." Murmurs flow through the circle.

"Th-then who could have set up something like that?" Hanamura stutters out.

"I'll tell ya who!" Kuzuryuu shouts. "It was fuckin' lardass Togami and his bitch-ass cleaning crew! It had to be one of them!"

"Excuse me?" Togami looks in disbelief at Kuzuryuu.

"Yeah, you heard me, fat stuff. Who the hell else would have had a chance to set up something?" He smirks as the others look for an answer. "Yeah. That's right. None of you retards know. That's because it _was_ one of those cleaning crew people. Hmm, let's see if I remember correctly. Oh!" He jabs a furious finger at each person when he names them. "Togami, Owari, Nidai, Hanamura, Souda, Sonia, Mioda." He smirks angrily. "Tell me, assholes, did I miss anyone? Eh? DID I?"

"Kuzuryuu, you're getting out of hand!" Koizumi shouts at him, pointing accusingly at him.

"I'm getting out of hand?!" Kuzuryuu scoffs. "Please. I'm not the bitch pissing on everyone's parade and trying to lezz it up with all the girls here! I'm trying to solve the damn murder!" Koizumi goes red and Saionji glares at the gangster.

"Hey! Stop insulting my Big sis Koizumi!"

"Piss of, gnome, I don't care for your fuckery."

"Enough!" Gundam can practically feel a vein popping out of his head at Kuzuryuu's insults. "Your childish insults get us nowhere! Do you really believe yelling at everyone will bring back your precious Pekoyama?" Kuzuryuu freezes up, gripping his stand so hard his knuckles go white. "No, you're only sullying your already disgusting reputation. Perhaps you should attempt to actually try to be useful before you foul _her_ name as well!" He throws out an arm, pointing at Kuzuryuu.

"Y-you take that back!" The gangster slams his palms against his debate stand repeatedly. "I'll kill you myself!"

"Stop!" Togami roars. "You're all making fools of yourselves!" Kuzuryuu and Gundam shut up. "Now let's return to the case."

"R-right..." Hinata stutters out, sticking his hands in his pockets. "We were discussing... the possible murderers."

"We were saying they were Togami, Owari, Nidai, Sonia, Souda, Hanamura and Mioda." Komaeda recalls, playing with his jacket in thought.

"N-now hold on... Ibuki would never murder anyone." Mioda nervously tugs at her hair.

"Y-yeah! Me either!" Hanamura anxiously calls out. Monobear chuckles from his seat, but otherwise stays quiet.

"That doesn't matter." Togami huffs and crosses his arms. "What matters is that both of you, me, and the rest of the cleaning crew are very suspicious. We were the only ones that had time to set up anything, that much is true."

"You've got that wrong, Togami." Hinata carefully cuts in. Gundam notes that he's rather hesitant about it. And then he remembers why. "There were... two other people who could have done it."

"Oh? Enlighten me." Togami gazes at him intimidatingly. Hinata clenches a fist and swallows. He takes a deep breath.

"Tanaka. And me."

"Ah! That's right! Neither of you have alibis." Koizumi chimes in, apparently having recovered from her embarrassment. Gundam snorts. The photographer glares at him. "It's true. If you have evidence otherwise, then show it. Right now." Gundam tenses up as the rest of the courtroom looks at him and Hinata. All of this is very much true. He glances down with a sigh, staying silent.

"Hold a moment." Nidai scratches at his ear. "I realize that we are backtracking quite a bit here, but we did seem to go off on a tangent." He lowers his arm. "How did the culprit collapse the awning? I realize it must have been with the wire, but that alone could not do it." The group stares at each other for a few moments before they suddenly start speaking up, throwing out possibilities at random.

"They cut down the supports before hand and dropped a weight on the awning!" "No! They must have had tied the wire to the support beams, then used it to cut through them and drop the roof!" "They obviously had some sort of machine." Gundam opens his eyes when he hears the last person talk. Surprisingly, it's someone he wouldn't mind agreeing with.

"I concur, Hiyoko Saionji!"

"Eh?" She raises her arms in surprise. "You do?" She puts a hand over her mouth and snickers. "Thank you Big bro Tanaka, maybe you're not such a nerd after all." He glares at her.

"What are you talking about, Tanaka?" Hinata raises an eyebrow.

"I'm talking about this!" Gundam proclaims with a flourish, his coat billowing dramatically. A picture appears on the big screen. The backup generator with the wires hanging out of it. "I found this when the dark lord Maga-G escaped into the shadowland below the lodge. There are also holes in the lodge walls that suggest that this helped to saw through the support beams using the metal wire." An excited chatter goes through the group before someone Gundam loathes speaks up.

"Woah woah woah." Souda glares at the animal breeder. "I can't believe you guys are falling for this!" The other students glance around in confusion. "It was obviously him! He ain't got an alibi and he knew where this thing was! He's just trying to make us think it wasn't him! It's part of his plan!" Gundam feels like he's been punched in the gut. The other students are throwing him looks of suspicion and distrust. Worst of all, Komaeda and Saionji are looking at him in doubt.

"N-no. No! You misunderstand! There's no way it could have been me! I-I haven't been near the lodge all day!" Gundam stutters. They couldn't seriously believe the mechanic, could they?

"You've got that wrong!" Hinata's voice shocks him. The boy stares at him. "Tanaka, there is one testimony that pretty much proves that wrong."

"Wh-what?" Gundam clenches his hands. "N-no such thing exists..."

"Again, that's wrong. Owari, you told someone something earlier about the lodge, didn't you?" Hinata turns to the gymnast next to Gundam. Komaeda pales slightly.

"I remember... Owari-san, you told me you saw two people entering the lodge around lunchtime, didn't you?" Komaeda asks.

"Yeah..." Owari crosses her arms in thought. She edges away from Gundam. He can't believe this. On his other side, Saionji inches towards Hinata. The animal breeder can practically feel his heart break. No... Why doesn't she trust him?

"I-It wasn't me." Gundam desperately racks his brain for something to counter it. He thinks frantically. Nothing. "I didn't. I-i-it wasn't..."

"There are only a few people without alibis during that time." Hinata points out. "And you're the only one who has shown a large amount of familiarity with the crime scene. In fact, you're the only one _period_ who even knew about that machine before the trial."

"I'll have your head!" Kuzuryuu shouts at Gundam. "You killed her! You killed Peko!"

"I told you that guy was no good..." Souda says to a blue-faced Sonia.

"Do we... get to voting now?" Mioda asks, pushing her fingers together nervously.

"I don't know, do you want to risk dying?" Togami's voice cuts through the mutterings of the crowd. "Did you simpletons really not find the catch in that claim?" The group looks around in confusion. Togami rolls his eyes. "Anyone?" He sighs. "Alright. Let me reiterate for you." He turns to the gymnast. "Owari. How many people did you see?"

"Eh? Two." A few people have gotten it by now, but Togami continues anyway.

"And all of you, how many people is Tanaka?"

"One." Owari answers. "So what?" Togami slaps himself in the face.

"I'm saying that if it _was_ Tanaka who set it up, it wouldn't have been just him."

"Oh!" Owari cocks her head and smiles. "I get it! So you're saying Hinata helped him!" Hinata goes pale.

"Huh?!" The boy takes a hesitant step back.

"Yes, Hinata, did you honestly forget that you are one of the people without an alibi at that time?" Togami crosses his arms and sniffs haughtily. "In fact, you are the next likeliest person to have gone to the lodge. In all honesty, it was probably you and Tanaka that Owari saw heading to the lodge." The two boys freeze up against the accusation. The worst part, Gundam thinks, is that there is pretty much no way to counter this or to proclaim his innocence.

"I-I-I urge you to r-reconsider!" Gundam scans his mind. There has to be something to help him out of this. Komeada glances away from him. Saionji just looks betrayed. "W-We haven't even discussed everything yet! What of the blackout, or-"

"Please, what more is there to discuss? You're guilty. You or Hinata. Or perhaps you _and _Hinata." Togami stares down the animal breeder. "Let's just hurry up and vote them guilty." Monobear's laugh slices through their thoughts like a knife through butter.

"_Them_?!" The bear collapses into a fit of hysterics.

"What's so funny?" Kuzuryuu glares at Monobear.

"Could it be... that there's only one murderer?" Komaeda looks expectantly at the bear, who immediately stops laughing and frantically glances around.

"Ulp! I've said too much!" Monobear covers his mouth. Gundam mostly ignores this. He has to prove his innocence. Somehow. He once again runs over everything that's been said, hoping for something, anything, to contradict. And he finds it when he sees Hinata swaying like he's still sick and running a hand through his hair.

"Listen here, mortals!" Gundam clenches his hands, raising his voice. "You're forgetting an important aspect of this 'lunch time break'!"

"Would you shut up, murderer?" Kuzuryuu glares at Gundam. A quick glance around shows most of the kids, while not verbally saying it, agree with the gangster, their eyes filled with fury and disgust. Only Sonia, Tsumiki, and Hinata don't look at him in accusation.

"Let him make an attempt." Komaeda says quietly, his hands tightly gripping his trial stand.

"W-why should we?! He's obviously the killer!" Souda points repeatedly at Gundam.

"That is where you are incorrect, you pink-haired imbecile!" Gundam slams his hands onto his trial stand. The mechanic jumps, then eyeballs the animal breeder angrily. "There is one more person who it could have easily been! Someone who _had to _return to the lodge!"

"Y-yeah? Who would that be?" Souda scoffs.

"You, you simple individual!" Gundam's shout makes the mechanic stumble back.

"Wh-wh-what? I-I-I n-never left the lodge!"

"That's not true." Togami looks at Souda suspiciously. "You told me yourself, you wanted to go back to your cottage to get some tool box or something. And you were still there when we left for lunch, meaning you had all the time in the world to go to your cottage and come back." Souda soundlessly gasps.

"And me and Hinata could not have even gone near the lodge! For we must have been together during the day!" This causes everyone, including Hinata himself, to stare at Gundam in disbelief.

"Wh-... what are you talking about?" Hinata asks, confounded. "I don't remember..."

"Show them your hand!"

"My... hand?..." Hinata holds out his hand. Koizumi and Saionji, the ones next to him, lean in to inspect his hand.

"It's covered in some kind of mark... it looks like pock marks." Koizumi observes.

"Ah, but those are no mere pock marks, mortals. Those are the tooth marks of the mighty Four Dark Gods of Destruction!" Gundam grins maniacally. Some of the kids shuffle nervously and look away. Gundam cements his statement with a hearty cackle. "The great Gundam Tanaka has once again proved you wro-"

"That's bullshit!" Kuzuryuu cuts into Gundam's spiel. "You seriously think that just cause that dumbass got bit by your stupid hamsters, you're in the clear?! It had to be one of you!"

"Th-th-there must be s-something that can lead us to one of them..." Tsumiki stutters out.

"I... may have an idea..." Komaeda fumbles for his Student ID. "If I recall correctly, the door to the storage room was jammed."

"What the fuck kinda clue is that?" Kuzuryuu looks at Komaeda in disbelief. "Who cares if the damn door was jammed?"

"Because it had to be jammed from the outside. Which means someone had to have the tools to complete said action." Komaeda smiles.

"...Tools, eh?" Kuzuryuu turns to glare at Souda. "TOOLS, EH?"

"Wh-wh-what are ya yellin' at _me_ for?!" Souda glares back. "You're gonna swap to me just cause 'a some dumb reason?!" The mechanic and gangster sling profanities at each other. Gundam, however, is busy watching Hinata. The boy clutches at his head and Gundam can see the sheen of sweat coating his forehead. Koizumi notices it too.

"H-Hinata?" She reaches out to touch his shoulder, and the boy's knees buckle. Gundam guesses he really is sick. Koizumi lets out a quiet gasp and glances around. She catches Gundam's eyes, but everyone else seems more focused on shouting swear words at each other. As he goes down, Hinata clunks his head on his trial stand. Gundam takes a startled step back at the distortion around Hinata's head. Koizumi backs up. Hinata clears his throat and stands up. His eyes are half-lidded, and he glances around uninterestedly. He glances back when the photographer's hand lightly presses against his back.

"Ah. Ms. Mahiru. A pleasure to see you again." The girl looks confused.

"Hinata?" 'Hinata' scoffs.

"Oh right, the memory thing. Very well..." He caresses his chin in thought. "Hmm... it seems we're in a trial..."

"Um... yeah? It's been going on for the last half hour now?" 'Hinata' turns to Gundam, and the animal breeder catches the red tint in his eyes. No...

"Oh. Mr. Mystery. Hello."

"K-Kamakura?..." Kamakura bows slightly.

"You know it."

"Hinata, you fucker! You gonna help out with the damn trial or are you gonna flirt with the feminist all day?" Kuzuryuu stops the debate to glare at Kamakura.

"For?" Kamakura raises an eyebrow. Everybody looks at him now.

"Quit with the jokes, man, this is serious." Souda says. He turns his head to look at Kamakura, and Gundam sees the mechanic's slight jolt as they lock eyes. Kamakura smirks and Souda starts babbling.

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-"

"Surprised to see me, Mr. Kazuichi?" Souda cowers.

"I don't know who you are..." Monobear, noticing the conversation has come to a halt, turns to the kids.

"Hey, hey, hey. What's goin' on here? What's the ho-ho-ho-ho-hello!" Monobear jumps to his feet in surprised. "Kamakura?"

"Eat sod Monobear." Kamakura stares at the bear in disinterest. "I have no time for your idiocy. Let's just continue with the trial, shall we?"

"Hold on, hold on!" The bear bares his claws and teeth. "What are you doing here?! You're not supposed to be here!"

"Hmm... how rude." Kamakura sighs. "If you really must know, I took a page from that lunatic Syo. All that time spent with Matsuda wasn't a waste, eh?" Kamakura chuckles. "It turns out, it's not that hard to lock yourself away. All you need is a trigger to get yourself out later. That's where Syo came in, of course. The whole shared knowledge but not memories thing was rather interesting. Naturally I didn't have enough time to install something more... ah... elegant. So hitting my head it had to be..." Kamakura sighs. "Are we done here, you waste of time? Let's continue with the trial. It reminds me of the first one _I _participated in." He turns to look a the others, who are paralyzed in fear and horror. His face settles back into a neutral expression. "Go on, continue." He looks around. "Alright, fine. Do you need a discussion topic? Here's one." A barely perceivable smile tugs at Kamakura's lips. "I went to the lodge around lunch time."

"Y-you!" Togami clutches his hand. Kamakura chuckles.

"I'm sorry, Byakuya-sama. Oh wait. You wouldn't understand that, would you?" The boy snarks, making a joke only he and Monobear seem to understand. Monobear goes blue in the face and hangs his head. "Let's discuss. Now." The boy's voice has a commanding tone to it that makes everyone, reluctantly, start up again.

"S-so... where were we?" Koizumi stutters out.

"I uh... we uh..." Souda looks for his words. Kuzuryuu seems to have no such trouble.

"We were talking about how _you're_ the damn culprit!"

"I-I am not!"

"You fuckin' are!"

"No I'm not!"

"Shut... up!" Togami, exasperated with the childish argument, bellows at the two boys. They shut up. "Souda, as much as you argue against it, it is either you or Tanaka that went to the lodge with... Hinata. And quite frankly, both of you are very, very suspicious."

"Don't clump me together with that... 'boy'." Gundam snorts angrily.

"Y-yeah! I'm not suspicious! It's him!" Souda frantically points at Gundam.

"No. It's you." The animal breeder glares and Souda is about to respond when Togami cuts them off again.

"Do _not_ even start."

"U-uhm... E-excuse me?" Tsumiki stutters out.

"Ooh boy, _this_ oughtta be good..." Saionji raises her eyebrows skeptically and scoffs.

"Let her speak." Gundam scolds her. The dancer glares at him, but lets Tsumiki speak.

"W-well when I was e-examining the b-bodies with Kuzuryuu-san... I-I well uh... f-found something..." She stops to take a deep breath. Togami raises an eyebrow when she doesn't respond for a little while.

"Well?"

"H-howawa! S-sorry!" Tsumiki lets out a yelp of surprise, clenching her hands. "I-I... well... N-Nanami-san... she had some uh... strange marks on a-arm... it looks k-kind of like uh... she was lashed with a thin m-metal instrument n-no m-m-more th-than a f-few centimeters thick a-and-" She stops to burst into tears. Komaeda and Togami take a step back in surprise. The luckster takes a hesitant step towards the nurse and pats her on the back.

"I don't get it." Owari purses her lips and scratches her nose. "So like... they tortured her? I thought they just crushed her."

"D-don't be so blunt about it!" Souda yells, fisting a hand in his hair.

"I think what Tsumiki-san is saying is that..." Komaeda trails off. They stand in silence before the white-haired boy thinks of something. "Perhaps when the awning collapsed... some of the metal wire broke and hit her. The wire would match the criteria of the wounds, wouldn't they?" Tsumiki scrubs at her eyes, nodding.

"Hold a moment." Gundam looks up. "We didn't find any bloody wire."

"No. We didn't... which means that the culprit cleaned up after themselves."

"B-but that's ridiculous." Koizumi says. "It would be more natural for them to leave it there, right?"

"Exactly. They must have panicked and hid the wire." Komaeda nods. "But who would have had the time to do so, is the question..."

"Fucker! I knew it was you!" Kuzuryuu slams his palms against his trial stand and points at Souda. "That son of a bitch was 'helping' us guard the scene. And he was picking around! I asked him what the fuck he was doing and he told me he was looking for clues! That's what I get for trusting a no good, wimpy ass wannabe punk like him!"

"W-wannabe punk?!" Souda goes red in the face and shakes his fist at Kuzuryuu. "You little twit! There's no way it was me! I really was looking for clues!" He snarls at the gangster, surprisingly violent. "Why the hell would I pick up some bloody wire?! I'm not stupid!"

"Empty your pockets." Togami commands, Souda turning to him in confusion.

"E-eh?"

"You heard me. All of them. Unless you want to be seen as the culprit." Togami stares down the mechanic. Souda grumbles and starts popping open all of the pockets on his jumpsuit, turning those he can inside out. He glares at Togami when he's done.

"You happy?"

"Yes. Because now I know where you hid the wires."

"Wh-!" Souda goes blue-faced, and most of the students take a small step back, leaving the mechanic, the imposter, and Kamakura still at their stands. Gundam can tell this is the end. He knew it was Souda. But now they just have to get it out of him, something Togami seems all too ready to do. "Y-you're fuckin' lying!" Souda stomps his foot, like a petulant child. "I-It's wasn't me! You have no proof! It could have been Tanaka or Komaeda! They investigated too!"

"But there was another time you could have taken the wires too!" Togami hollers. Souda looks shocked, but continues throwing out excuses.

"Yeah? That's stupid! There wasn't a time like that! And where would I even have hidden them? You gotta have proof, fatso!" Souda glares at the imposter, tears running down his face. Togami just sighs.

"Then show us the contents of your toolbox, Souda." The mechanic freezes up.

"Wh-what?"

"You went back to your cabin to get the toolbox, remember? And then you stored it away on the porch. I was wondering where it went." Togami shakes his head as the other students slowly file back into their places solemnly.

"B-but..." Souda stares blankly. "But I couldn't have... there was no time where I..."

"Yes there was. You and Hanamura were the last to people to arrive after the blackout. Had you snuck away during the blackout, you would have had plenty of time to grab the bloodied wires and hide your toolbox. There's even a testimony proving that. Isn't that right, Mioda?"

"Eh? Really? Ibuki had no idea..." Mioda scratches guiltily at her head. Togami just rolls his eyes.

"You didn't hear his voice during the blackout. And he wasn't in the main hall before hand."

"H-hey. Wait." Nidai stops Togami. "What about Pekoyama? Surely he must have seen her when coming back." The imposter sighs.

"That I do not know. It's a shame we can't talk to the dead."

"Y-you have no proof..." Souda lightly grips his trail stand. "You don't..."

"Could you possibly mean _this_ proof, Souda-kun?" Monobear chuckles, red toolbox resting in his lap. Souda gasps at the sight of the metal box. Monobear pushes it off him, causing it to open up and spill its contents everywhere. A spool of metal wire rolls to the center of the trial stands. The group stares at it solemnly. But the screen zooms in on something else. A chunk of the same wire, balled up. Dried blood sticks to the surface. "Upupu... my bad, how clumsy of me!"

"Well well well, that certainly was interesting." Kamakura golf claps, the light sound barely reaching the ears of the other students. "How's about a recap before we vote dear Mr. Kazuichi a murderer?" Kamakura clears his throat and begins.

"It started the night before, actually, the night of Monobear's pompous murder motive. Foolish by the way, I'm sure everyone's done it before." Kamakura stares disapprovingly at the monochrome bear, who hangs his head. "Anyway, the boy you know as Hinata jump started this whole thing by being a rather clumsy individual. He must have been too stressed out by the ridiculousness of Monobear's show, for when he returned to his cabin, he promptly passed out and smashed his head against the windowsill. Yours truly woke up about an hour later. This left me a whole night to plot out my plan. And plot I did." He chuckles. "If you must know, and I know you all so dearly do, I had a plan for almost everyone of you, like I did with our friend Mr. Kazuichi." He barely emphasizes the word 'almost' glancing at Gundam, Saionji, and Komaeda when he does.

"To start, I had to get _someone_ interested, and who better than our friend Byakuya Togami?" Togami glares at Kamakura. "So easy to fool, you are. That sense of justice really worked in my favor though. For that letter you received? Me." Kamakura taps his chest lightly and Togami's mouth drops open. Kamakura just chuckles. "That was rather foolish of all of you, by the way. Not trying to find out exactly _why_ the 'heir' here gathered you. What if it had been vital? It can't be helped, I suppose." Kamakura plays with a lock of hair, one Gundam doesn't remember being that long. The distortion around his head gets a bit fuzzier. "Anyway, it really worked in my favor that Togami left only one person in charge. Planning a three-man murder group is just too tedious. Unfortunately, a small wrench in my plan delayed my plot slightly. That wrench being Mr. Mystery here." Kamakura motions to Gundam, some of the other students glancing at him. "You're lucky I didn't have time to kill those hamsters too, those bites _were_ slightly painful. But after disposing of him in his room, I headed towards the lodge. There I found Mr. Kazuichi, fixing up the awning." Kamakura yawns. "I'll save you the details, but rest assured that I was very thorough with my persuasion." Souda pulls his beanie over his eyes and sobs.

"This was a two-man job, but I let Mr. Kazuichi here have the honors of setting up the murder plot. I told him it was _his_ chance to leave the island, I had no desire to leave. Or live. So while our mechanic was under the lodge, prepping the murder machine, as he dubbed it, I was busy investigating the lodge's power limit. It's so much easier to cause confusion with a little darkness. I was planning on the blackout being a mere distraction, but Mr. Kazuichi here apparently insisted on doing a rather foolish act that has now cost him." Kamakura chuckles. It sends a chill down Gundam's spine. "I then set up our irons and helped jam the door to the storage room. While I set the timer on the air conditioner, Mr. Kazuichi finished up with his set up. Now I know what you're all thinking." Kamakura presses a palm to his cheek, staring up at the ceiling. His voice shifts into a falsetto. "'There's no way they could have set up that fast!'" His voice goes back to normal. "Well I'd beg to differ. Mr. Kazuichi is a _very_ talented individual when it comes to machines. And me? Hehe... well let's just say I'm rather talented myself." Kamakura smirks.

"And I left afterwards. Unfortunately, I had to trust that Mr. Kazuichi would successfully pull it off, because me being there? Let's face it, that would ruin the plan." Kamakura shrugs. "So I went back into 'my' cabin and switched back to Hinata. Then, of course, the party went on as planned. And someone died, as planned. Of course, Mr. Kazuichi had to go and admire his handiwork. He nearly got himself caught for his trouble. I'm assuming this is when he gathered the wire to get rid of some phantom 'evidence' that the wires provided. And then returned to the party like nothing had ever happened." Kamakura brushes off his pants, having somehow gotten sand on the lower legs. "I hope this doesn't need saying, but I'll reiterate anyway." The boy casually points at Souda, a smirk painted on his face. "It could only have been you, Kazuichi Souda." He leans against the trial stand and glances at the shell-shocked students. "Let's get to voting, shall we?"

"...Eh? Oh! Yeah!" Monobear happily jumps to his feet. All of the Student IDs begin buzzing, and don't stop until everyone has turned it on. Gundam gazes blankly at his. A tab called 'Voting' flashes at him. He presses it and is brought to a screen showing a picture of all the students. Nanami and Pekoyama are grayed out. The animal breeder hesitates, then pokes the picture of Souda. It flashes twice, then his ID turns itself off. He waits a moment, the others finishing their votes. Then the big screen lights up with what appears to be a slot machine display. Only, instead of regular pictures, the wheels have the faces of the kids on them. The wheels spin quickly, and Gundam catches a glimpse of his. They gradually slow down until coming to a halt with a ding. All three wheels display Souda's face. The screen broadcasts a fanfare that the IDs repeat. "Wow! You bastards got it! The murder was pulled off by none other than Kazuichi Souda!"

"What the fuck?! Why?! Why did you kill them?!" Kuzuryuu leaves his stand, marching up to Souda. He grabs the mechanic by the collar and shakes him. Souda hides his eyes.

"I... I..." He sobs quietly. "He knew so much about me... I don't know how... but h-he said he'd get me out. He promised me." Souda wipes at his eyes.

"And you _believed him?!_ Are you stupid?!" To everyone's surprise, Souda chuckles.

"Yeah... yeah I guess I am..."

"Tell me! Why did you kill Peko?! You didn't have to!"

"I didn't want to!" The mechanic suddenly flies into a rage, pushing Kuzuryuu back. The gangster stumbles and falls onto his rear in the sand. "I tried to warn her! The damn thing nearly collapsed on me! I told her not to go and she fuckin' went anyway! It was an accident! I didn't want her to die!" He chokes up, pulling his beanie back down over his eyes. "I didn't want anyone to die..." The mechanic takes a deep breath. "I... I'm sorry guys... I let you down..."

"Y-you..." Koizumi just stares at him. She takes a few shaky steps and grabs Souda's shoulders, shaking him roughly. "Why... Why didn't you just..." Souda sees something in her eyes, because he cringes and tousles her hair.

"I'm sorry."

"_I'm_ sorry as well! To interrupt this horribly awful feeling! Oh wait, no I'm not." Monobear cackles. "Who cares about this stupid apologies stuff? Not me, that's who! Who's ready to begin our favorite part of the trial?"

"You can't!" Koizumi turns to Monobear. "You can't kill him! I-It wasn't his fault!"

"It totally was though! He set it up! Now get into your places!" Gundam finds himself moving into his trial stand unwillingly. The others, similarly startled, do the same. And they stand facing the middle, gravely and wordlessly staring at the center of the debate circle. The only one who isn't moved is Souda. Monobear fixes that, shoving the boy backwards. He stumbles, bumping into Pekoyama's picture and accidentally knocking it over. The mechanic falls into the center of the circle, at the mercy of his classmates' empty, lifeless gaze. "It's punishment time!"

* * *

**A Proper Repair**

_Souda, tears staining his cheeks, stands in the center of the debate circle. Everyone else remains motionless in their spots. Suddenly, a chain fires off from the hall, grabbing Souda by the throat. Monobear laughs dementedly as the chain yanks the poor murderer out, slamming his legs against one of the stands and knocking over Nanami's photograph. The remaining students find themselves and their debate stands rising up. They can only watch as the mechanic is dragged down the hall before they ascend into what looks like the ceiling, but opens up into another elevator._

_ Souda is smashed against and strapped to a pole in a pitch black room. A spotlight shines on him and the only other thing visible is a window where the other students stand, watching. The pole rises suddenly. A giant broken car appears in another spotlight. The pole opens up, altering its shape and Souda's form along with it. The boy's body rests in a u-shape, but is obviously painful, judging by the silent screams he releases. The pole now resembles a wrench with Souda as the head. The wrench descends, planting the mechanic firmly around a nut on the car's engine. It tightens Souda around it with a painful crunch. The wrench starts to slowly spin, twisting the nut and Souda along with it. The rotations become faster and faster, continuing even after the nut is tightened all the way, until a curtain falls down in front of the viewing window. When it pulls back up, the room is fully lit, resembling a standard garage with a fully repaired car sitting in the center. Monobear waltzes over and pops the hood, revealing a pristine engine. However, one nut on the dead center is smeared red and a small bit of yellow fabric is stuck under it. Monobear blushes, pulls the fabric scrap out from under the nut and shuts off the lights, plunging the room into darkness one last time._

* * *

"Oh yeaaaaaaah! That's the kind of thing I love!" Monobear throws back his head and cackles. They had been brought back down, and now they stand in the trial room again. Gundam stares at nothing, mouth agape in horror. That... was too brutal. The bear waltzes over to Koizumi, placing the yellow scrap of cloth into her hand. She lets out a choked off sob. Monobear cocks his head. "Did you like him? Or did you _like_ him? Either way, that's some real despair inducing stuff, eh?" Koizumi just clutches the scrap of cloth tightly, covering her eyes with the forearm of her other arm.

"A-Are you fucking kidding me, dude..." Kuzuryuu clenches his fists, face contorted in terror.

"T-too cruel... I'm g-gonna faint..." Tsumiki sobs loudly, scrubbing at her face with her hands.

"Aa..." Hanamura clutches at his chest. "Aah... AH!" Most of the reactions range from dismayed sobs and wails to horrified silence. Gundam stands ridged, the only movements he makes are to pet the four gods nestled in his palms. Saionji seems equally shocked, tugging at the ends of her twin tails. Komaeda nervously fidgets.

"Ahahahaha! You bastards sure are enjoying yourselves, huh? Well I'll let you enjoy the atmosphere for a little while! Just remember to get into the elevator and head back soon. I think it's getting close to morning time!" Monobear stalks away, guffawing the entire time. Monomi seems to have disappeared as well.

"Bravo, bravo. What an excellent show. Shame I was only here for the finale, but it's rather likely that I'll be seeing more trials in the future." Kamakura claps quietly, that same gentle smirk creasing his face.

"Oy. Shut up." Togami points at Kamakura threateningly. "You're disgusting."

"Me, Mr. Byakuya? I'm offended, quite frankly." Kamakura scoffs. "Someone of your... ah... 'stature' is hardly a standpoint to be criticizing me from."

"That doesn't even make sense." Togami glares at him. Gundam notices that the imposter has moved himself in between Kamakura and the rest of the kids.

"Ah, it doesn't matter. I'm surprised you guys are acting like this. Shouldn't you be a bit more... ecstatic? Joyful?"

"Are you JOKING?!" Nidai howls at Kamakura. "_THREE_ OF OUR FRIENDS HAVE JUST DIED!"

"Exactly. Although, I guess this means all is going according to plan... but not _my_ plan, unfortunately." Kamakura sighs. "Well, I suppose it's a long elevator ride. Let's get going." The boy stalks off in the direction of the elevator. Nobody else moves.

"I-If I may speak." Sonia chimes in timidly. The rest of the students turn to her. "Despite the tragic death of our... friends... I believe I realize what we must now do." She pauses for a moment, waiting for someone to speak up or something. "W-we must gather our resolve."

"Eh? Resolve?" Kuzuryuu stares at the princess like she's dumb. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"I-It is our spirit to fight! We cannot surrender to this Monobear so easily, no?" A few kids nod in consent. "We cannot let this take a hold of us because then Monobear has us in his uh... paws?" She clenches her fists, pumping one into the air. "We must fight against this evil the only way we can. By not following these silly motives! We must survive!"

"Yes. An excellent speech. Come, let's go back to the hotel and get some sleep." Togami pats Sonia on the shoulder, and the group shuffles into the elevator. Kamakura waits for them, eyebrow raised, but says nothing. They're all silent on the way up. When the elevator creaks to a stop, they all load onto the escalator and let it carry them down to the familiarity of the beach. Tsumiki immediately collapses onto the sand. Nidai picks her up and they all head back to the hotel. For the first night since they got here, Gundam finds himself alone in his cottage. He tells himself he doesn't mind the silence, but really it disturbs him. So he does something he normally wouldn't do. He strips down to his underwear like he normally does, then lays on the bed, placing the Four Dark Gods of Destruction on his chest.

"A treat for my merciful gods..." Gundam stares at the hamsters as they settle into their 'bed'. Jum-P crawls into his scarf. Maga-G finds rest in the crook of his arm. Cham-P just curls up on his chest. San-D stretches out on his pelvis. Gundam falls asleep with his hamsters, letting the darkness wash away any thoughts of murder and execution. He needs a quick respite.

**End Act 1, That Summertime Sadness...**

**Remaining Students: 13**

* * *

**Quick Note:** Sorry if this chapter is a bit iffy. This was my first time writing a trial scene and midway through I realized that I had somehow managed to come up with a murder plot that contradicted the evidence I had given out, so that may be why the murder method sounds kind of off. I hope you enjoyed anyway.


	13. Act One Point Five

The six survivors stare at fifteen screens. One screen shows nothing but static. Then, one displaying a boy in a yellow jumpsuit being ground to a pulp fades to snow as well. Fukawa faints.

"A-Alter Ego! What's the status on the virus?" Naegi asks, his gaze fixed on the two static screens.

"W-well..." Alter Ego pops up in a window on the huge computer behind them. Togami and Kirigiri turn to face the AI. "I... it's getting stronger. I-I think."

"It's Kamakura!" Togami rages, slamming his fists against the wall. "He's causing it to degrade way too fast! The entire damn thing is going to collapse before we can do anything about it! How is he doing this?! He's not supposed to be in the program!"

"D-didn't he tell them, Togami-chi?"

"Shut _up,_ you moron!"

"Stop it." Kirigiri shushes them both. "Alter Ego, how is the progress on the Time Trial Project?"

"It's going well enough... but I can't control the kids or anything, so I can't prevent them from doing anything... dangerous..." The AI bows its head.

"Why aren't those three doing anything?" Asahina asks, scared, staring at the screens of Tanaka, Saionji, and Komaeda. They stare just as fearfully as everyone else.

"I don't know." Naegi responds quietly.

"They're just as scared as everyone else. Plus, they also have to worry about the reactions of others. Monobear has planted the seeds of doubt and distrust in the group. They're still worried about the traitor. One wrong move, and they could get killed 'for the good of the group'." Kirigiri says simply, sighing and turning to the fifteen screens.

"I wish we could do something..." Naegi looks forlornly at the thirteen remaining kids. "It's terrible that we have to watch this." Asahina and Hagakure nod in agreement.

"I think it's rather ironic." Togami sighs, having cooled off. Somewhat. "They watched us murder each other. Now the tables have turned."

"Wh-why are you treating this like some kind of joke?!" Asahina turns to Togami, a scowl on her face. The heir shrugs, pushing up his glasses.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you wanted me to go into the program and risk my life for no reason other than your personal satisfaction."

"Th-that's not..."

"Then what _did_ you mean, hmm?" Togami turns to glare at the swimmer. Naegi stops him.

"Togami-kun, please. Let's not fight. We need to figure out what to do." Togami raises an eyebrow.

"You can't seriously mean..."

"It might come to that, you know. Considering how our's turned out. And I doubt there are going to be any faked trials here."

"How many will we need to get them out?"

"At least half." Togami groans at the former luckster.

"You want me go to with you?"

"Kyouko-san too." Kirigiri turns when her name is mentioned. Hagakure looks slightly insulted.

"What, you don't want me there, Naegi-chi?" Naegi, despite himself, chuckles.

"Sorry Hagakure-kun. There are only three pods."

* * *

The cool island air blows as the night slowly recedes. Four figures stand on the beach.

"You wanted me? Hmm..."

"Enough. You know why."

"Oh? Do I? Is it that you three want answers? As to why you're here? Because I know them. I know everything you could possibly want to know? The traitor? Is that what you want? Or perhaps you want to know about your past? Your memories that were taken? For the years you spent at Hope's Peak were truly a disgrace, if you ask me. Would you like for me to divulge information on that?"

"Oy, let me shut him up."

"So violent. I guess your past isn't what you came here for? Perhaps it's my personal opinion you seek? Let me begin then." The voice clears its throat. "You see, talent is a relative thing. You are only truly talented when your skill shows on your lonesome. It is quite easy to seem talented when you surround yourselves with those that are not. That is what plagued my other self, but in a different, twisted way. He believed that perhaps he was talented somehow, that if he just went somewhere where people were special, his would show through his pale exterior. Perhaps he _could_ be special." The voice chuckles.

"But it's not how things turned out, huh? Because he ended up here. You three are in the same boat, yes? You want to think you're special, but really your 'talents' involve too much of others and thus, you cannot tell if you are _truly_ talented, or are simply surrounding yourselves with those that are simply less skilled than you are. Are you truly special? I cannot answer that question for you. But I can for myself. And I can tell you I am most definitely special." It finishes with a chuckle.

"Wh-what kind of rant was THAT?"

"Who cares?! Get 'im!"

"Eh?" A dull smack resounds through the quiet pre-morning air. "Oh my. Did you really think that would work?" A louder thwack cracks through the air and a quiet thud sounds as the body falls to the ground.

"H-holy shit!"

"I did not think you were capable of such a THING!"

"Would you two imbeciles shut up? He's not dead. Now tie him up. We'll store him in the lodge for now." The three remaining figures work to tie up the knocked out person when they hear a shuddering groan that shakes the air. They glance around frantically, but when it doesn't return, they go back to work. As a beast of metal falls to the ground, defeated, the enormous timer on the central island lets out a burst of steam. The dial clicks down, measuring the days left until something happens to the island's inhabitants.

**20 Days Remaining**


	14. Act 2: Island of Broken Promises

ACT 2 : Begin

**Island of Broken Promises**

Gundam wakes up to a weight on his chest. Heavier than Cham-P. Saionji lays, curled up, right on the center of his ribcage. She sleeps in her underwear, her kimono and obi discarded in the corner of his room. His cottage smells fruity. The animal breeder crinkles his nose. He lifts his head to confirm the location of Komaeda. The boy is once again in his spot at the foot of the bed. He is somewhat more clothed than the girl, having his shirt on, but otherwise sleeps in his underwear as well. Gundam glances around the room, looking for the Four Dark Gods of Destruction. Jum-P remains in his scarf, but the others are nowhere to be seen. That is until Saionji's clothes start moving, and Maga-G pokes his sacred head out of the sleeve of her kimono. Gundam sighs in relief and turns to the other problem.

"Awaken. What is the meaning of this?" Gundam pushes Saionji into his lap and sits up. She nuzzles his chest, but stays asleep. Gundam stares in irritation. He grabs her shoulder and shakes her lightly. "Saionji, I once again say to you, why are you in my room? Unclothed? What did you do?" The dancer stretches, lightly bopping Gundam on the chin with her fist. He grunts as she curls back up into a ball and cracks an eye open at him. She looks at him somewhat apologetically. He tousles her hair.

"I'm trying to sleep, y'know..." The dancer grabs the end of his scarf and pulls it towards her, burying her face in it.

"And I am trying to wake you up. Why are you here?"

"You didn't lock your door, Tanaka-kun." Komaeda rubs the sleep out of his eyes. Gundam grunts in embarrassment. Saionji giggles. Komaeda smiles wearily at him. "I uh... we're sorry we doubted you."

"I'm sure of it." Gundam closes his eyes and crosses his arms in thought. Apparently, they take it as him still being mad at them because Saionji throws her arms around his torso and makes a pathetic sobbing sound.

"I'm sorry Big bro Tanaka! Please forgive us!" She wails at him. Gundam is glad that the walls are soundproofed, because divine feces.

"Huo-! Calm yourself! I had forgiven you a while ago! I was merely thinking. Goodness." Gundam sighs in relief as she finishes fussing. "Now answer me this." The dancer looks up at him. "Why are you in your undergarments? I'm _assuming_ it has something to do with why my cottage smells like an orchard in the spring?"

"Oh!" Saionji brightens up. "I took a shower!"

"In _my_ cottage?" Gundam stares down at her, squinting in disbelief and annoyance.

"Yeah. Big bro Komaeda said I was stinky and needed a shower."

"In _my_ cottage?"

"_Yes_ Big bro Tanaka! In your cottage!" Saionji opens both of her eyes for the purpose of rolling them. Gundam is surprised he can still see with how narrow his eyes are. Saionji giggles mischievously. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you would like to think about me in the shower so much." Gundam's eyes fly open.

"No! I mean-" He closes his eyes, clears his throat, and stares at her in irritation again. "You, Hiyoko Saionji, are an extremely annoying person." She smiles and nuzzles him again. He rolls his eyes. "And this does not explain why you are... lacking clothing."

"Oh uh, I can answer that." Komaeda chuckles. "We need your help."

"...What." Gundam stares in confusion at Komaeda.

"Well I _tried_ to help her tie her obi, but ah... I'm not very good at things... so it turned out about as well as one would expect. So we decided to wait for you to wake up."

"Hold on." Gundam looks down at the dancer. "We tied it a multitude of times at the base. Why would you not be able to tie it now?"

"It's different. I don't remember how to tie this one." Saionji shrugs.

"What does that even mean?"

"Just help me!" She hops off of his lap and reaches for her kimono. Cham-P, San-D, and Maga-G scurry out of it frantically, and she jumps back with a yelp. Gundam and Komaeda snicker, and she turns back to them with a glare. The dancer pulls on the orange garment and holds out her obi to Gundam. The animal breeder sighs and gets up.

"Komaeda. You will assist me or I will have your soul." Komaeda chuckles, but gets up anyway. Gundam ushers Saionji over and gets down on one knee in front of her. He holds the green cloth in his hands and stares at it. What is he supposed to do with this. He wraps it around her waist and tries to tie it up. It looks like an abomination when he's done. "...This is not correct."

"Thanks, Captain Obvious." Saionji rolls her eyes with a small smile. Gundam grunts and unties the obi, motioning Komaeda over. The luckster squats on Saionji's other side and they make a coordinated attempt to tie it. They somehow manage to make it look worse than when Gundam did it the first time.

"What is this dismal attempt? I am sick just looking at it." Gundam leans back slightly in disgust. How did he fail so badly?

"See? I didn't know this would be so difficult. But I'm sure if we work together, our hope will blot out the despair of our inability to..." Komaeda trails off as he notices the other two staring at him strangely. "Oh uh... sorry. Let's work together." Gundam and Komaeda continue to try to tie up the obi, all while Saionji gives them contradicting instructions to help out. They work fruitlessly until Saionji gasps and then someone gasps behind them and Gundam nearly smacks himself in the face because they didn't lock the door did they? The animal breeder hesitantly turns around to find Koizumi standing in the doorway, hand over her mouth in surprise. She stares at what Gundam imagines looks like a young girl being undressed by two older boys in their underwear. Gundam takes this moment of calm before the storm to shoot Komaeda a dirty look. The photographer recovers from her shock, marching over and bopping Komaeda on the shoulder. She then turns and grinds her fist into the top of Gundam's head. The animal breeder yelps and glares at the girl, rubbing his head and pulling up his scarf. She then scurries over and pulls Saionji into a light hug.

"What do you guys think you're doing?!" Koizumi glares at the two boys. "I understand that the trial was stressful, but you don't need to do something like this to a poor, defenseless girl!" Saionji lets out an exaggerated sniff and smirks at Gundam and Komaeda from under the photographer's arm. Gundam scrunches up his face at her. It seems she's still takes pleasure at the misfortune of others, when appropriate.

"For your information, fire maned huntress, she had asked for _my_ assistance with this matter." Gundam crosses his arms with a snort. "Although I can understand your mortal restrictions that prevent you from seeing the obvious in most situations, I still think your retribution was unnecessary and thus I will be forced to exact revenge." Gundam stands up, fists clenched. He towers over the photographer, but she remains steadfast. They stare at each other angrily for a moment before Gundam realizes he can't do anything. He's not going to hit a girl. With a vexed sigh, Gundam steps back and pokes her in the chest intimidatingly. "Consider yourself lucky, righteous one. After consulting with the otherworldly forces that govern all pertaining to vindication, I have deemed your act inconsequential and thus, you may remain in this world. For now." He narrows his eyes. She narrows hers.

"C'mon Hiyoko-chan. Let's go." Koizumi starts to drag Saionji away. The dancer protests.

"Wait! Big sis Koizumi, I can't go out yet! I can't tie my obi!" Saionji snatches the green cloth from Komaeda's hands and holds it out to Koizumi. The redhead stares at it for a moment before sighing.

"Alright. I'll help you. But I don't know any fancy knots or anything, so bear with me." She kneels down in front of Saionji and quickly and effortlessly ties the obi around the dancer's waist. Gundam stares in shock. How she was able to so effortlessly pull off something they had spent half an hour on astounds him.

"Wow, amazing job Koizumi-san!" Komaeda smiles in appreciation. "That was a splendid performance! Of course, it's only natural that someone like you could pull it off!"

"Oh, be quiet." The photographer marches out of Gundam's cottage with Saionji in tow, the dancer sticking her tongue out at the two boys.

"Well we are now in a heaping pile of excrement. I hope you are pleased with yourself, because I certainly am not." The animal breeder turns to glare at Komaeda. The boy raises his hands guiltily and offers an abashed smile.

"I'm sorry Tanaka-kun. But I'm sure she'll forgive us! Plus, I don't think she's the kind of girl to go around broadcasting things like that, don't you think?" Komaeda chuckles, grabbing his pants off of the floor. Gundam just scoffs and gets himself dressed. They head out a moment later, the Four Dark Gods nestled into Gundam's clothing. They pass Kuzuryuu sitting on one of the pool chairs, staring at the lodge. He flips them off, so they keep walking. Gundam averts his eyes from the gaming machines in the hotel lobby. He and Komaeda trudge up the stairs to the restaurant. Togami stands at the top of the stairs and nods at them as they pass. The animal breeder sighs as he notices the somber mood in the restaurant. About half of them are there. Nidai talks quietly with Owari, who is stuffing her mouth. Koizumi pokes lightly at her food while Saionji tries to comfort her. Gundam takes his place at the table he normally sits at, with Komaeda across from him. It's then that he smells something... really good. The others notice it too, especially Togami and Owari. Sonia, Tsumiki, and Mioda come up the stair and stop, sniffing at the air. The door to the kitchen had swung open, and Hanamura stands there, wiping a bit of sweat off of his brow. His eyes light up in surprise.

"Oh! Hello everyone! Good morning." He smiles. Togami stares at him.

"What are you doing in there?" The cook raises his arms in defense.

"A-ah! I was just making some breakfast for everyone..."

"You _do_ realize that we have perfectly good food right there?" Togami squints at Hanamura and gestures toward the table with food on it.

"Right... I just uh... wanted to do something for everyone..." Hanamura scratches the back of his head. "I've... been here since we got back from the trial. I couldn't sleep, so I made a whole feast for everyone. If you don't want it though, I mean-" He's cut off by Owari jumping to her feet, knocking her plate off of the table. Nidai starts to chastise her, but she ignores him.

"Oh, no way! You made some food?! Lemme at it!" She dashes towards the open kitchen, stopped only by Hanamura. The cook barely restrains her, gripping her waist with all his might. Gundam feels a chuckle bubble up from his chest.

"Ah, lithe one. You truly are an apocalypse to all things edible." A few other kids laugh. Togami sighs and walks over, grabbing Owari by the collar. He pulls her back. The gymnast groans.

"C'mon, man! His food is amazing! You can't just _not_ eat it! Please, please, please!" She struggles against the imposter's iron grip. "You had some of it, remember?" Togami does remember, because a look of longing passes over his face. He sighs.

"Bring it out, Hanamura." The cook clenches his hands excitedly, a smile blooming on his face.

"Ah! Of course, Togami-kun! You won't be disappointed, I promise!" He takes a step towards the kitchen, but turns back around for a moment. "Oh! Nidai-kun, would you mind helping me? It would be a pleasure to have such a strong man like yourself aiding me!" Hanamura rubs his hands together, a devilish grin on his face. Gundam rolls his eyes. Nidai seems oblivious to Hanamura's advances, standing up and laughing heartily.

"No, the pleasure is all mine!" The coach walks into the kitchen after Hanamura. The pair bring out plates upon plates of different kinds of foods, from steamed rice to some sort of dish of greasy strips of meat that he assumes is American. Gundam raises his eyes in surprise. It all looks really good. Owari drools at the sight of all the food, and Gundam can tell Togami is on the edge as well. Hanamura places the final dish on the table, then waves his hand dramatically.

"You may begin!" Owari immediately charges the table, grabbing a plate and stacking it while shoving food in her mouth at the same time. Togami stomps over and starts piling a plate as well.

"Save some food for the rest of us, goodness!" The imposter says while hypocritically shoving something into his mouth. He finishes with one plate and starts on a second. Gundam watches in awe as the two take out half of the food themselves. Once Togami and Owari sit down, the rest of them get up, forming a surprisingly orderly line. They get their own plates of food, Gundam's mainly consisting of fruits and whatnot for his hamsters. Hanamura sees this and chuckles, handing Gundam a second plate, piled high with all sorts of different dishes. The animal breeder raises an eyebrow.

"Ah, Tanaka-kun, you can't just feed your hamsters! You simply must try my cooking! It's important for one as... mysteriously seductive as you to have a full belly!" Gundam scoffs, but takes the plate anyway. Hanamura claps happily and goes back to standing off to the side and recommending different dishes to people. Gundam places himself in his normal spot and looses the Four Dark Gods of Destruction onto one of the plates.

"Consume heartily, my gods, for I feel the winds of change stirring up the vapid atmosphere of today..." Gundam smiles at the sight of his hamsters feeding. A squeal next to him indicates that Sonia agrees.

"Aww! Your hamsters never cease to act adorably, Tanaka-san!" Gundam shoves a bite of what looks like an egg yolk into his mouth in embarrassment.

"Ah... It is a great service to be offering the Four Dark Gods of Destruction proper adoration." The animal breeder chuckles around his food, and widens his eyes when the amazing flavor spreads out in his mouth. "Th-this food! It is otherworldly in its flavor!" Gundam says, a bit louder than he would have liked.

"I'm glad you think so!" Hanamura puts his elbows on the table and lays his face on his hands, leaning towards the animal breeder and the princess. Sonia claps her hands in joy.

"Oh Hanamura-san! It is simply divine! I have only rarely tasted food of this caliber! Even the most skilled chefs in Novoselic could barely produce a flavor such as this!" Hanamura chuckles humbly.

"Do you think it's good enough for a kiss, dearest Sonia-san?" Hanamura raises his eyebrows and Sonia responds by giving him a peck on the top of the head. The cook clearly didn't expect that, because his cheeks flush red and his eyes open wide. "O-oh my!" Sonia giggles and Gundam rolls his eyes. He glances around the restaurant, noting how happy everyone is now that they're eating a good breakfast. He wonders if that was really all it took to revive the mood. Gundam notices two missing people however. Someone else notices as well.

"Hey hey hey! Morning time announcement!" Mioda shouts out, banging her cup against the table. Gundam is glad it's plastic. Everybody in the restaurant turns to her. "Ibuki was wondering where Fuyuhiko-chan and Hajime-chan are!"

"Tanaka-kun and I saw Kuzuryuu-kun outside near the pool. I guess he didn't want to come..." Komaeda sighs. "As for Hinata-kun... Is he still..." The luckster trails off. Nobody says anything until Nidai yells out, way louder than he needed to.

"I AM NOT AWARE OF HINATA'S LOCATION!" He draws a lot of skeptical looks.

"That is a _suspiciously_ specific denial, spirited one." Gundam glares at him, and is about to confront the sweating Nidai when they hear a voice they really would not rather hear.

"What's suspicious?" Monobear stands on one of the tables, tilting his head curiously.

"A-Ah, Monobear is here! It appears we cannot continue this discussion!" Nidai yells, glancing around frantically. Gundam narrows his eyes, but lets it go anyway.

"What do you want?!" Koizumi asks aggressively, glaring at the bear.

"No need to be so abrasive, Koizumi-san." Monobear chuckles. "I've actually come here for a very important reason." Monobear clears his throat and goes red with anger, raising his arms. "Where's my Monobeast?!" The students look around, confounded. Monobear sighs. "It wasn't you bastards then... Perhaps it was me refusing to let it inside when it was cold last night..." Gundam feels himself chuckling. Monobear stares at him, an eye twitching. "What's so funny, weirdo?!" The insult just draws a laugh from Gundam. The animal breeder closes his eyes and crosses his arms.

"'Of the machines made to kill, he was the weakest. Finding himself losing to humans was a disgrace, one that could not be redeemed, so the Monobeast was dismissed from the realm of the living. Permanently.'" Gundam grins cockily. "Is that not what you're saying?"

"...What." Monobear stares at the boy in confusion.

"This tale in only in the prelude. The climax is yet to come, you maniacal monster!" Gundam strikes a pose meant to be frightening. "Let us hear your battle cry! We will make it a tune to remember! A requiem for those you intend to take! Trifle not with the mighty!" He laughs, and Monobear just looks more confused, if not creeped out.

"What what? Double what?" The animal breeder is about to continue when Koizumi cuts him off with a scoff.

"Tanaka. Quit playing with the teddy bear." Gundam grunts angrily and crosses his arms.

"Hmph. So be it." Monobear just sighs.

"Ugh, I'm still a toy to you?" He shakes his head. "Whatever. It's obvious none of you idiots know where my Monobeast is." The bear stalks angrily out of the restaurant. With the distraction gone, Gundam and a few others turn back to Nidai. The coach notices all the eyes on him and begins sweating again.

"Wh-what?! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM MEEEEEEE?!" Nidai takes a step back and bumps into something that he trips over. They hear a voice they haven't heard since before the party.

"Ow ow ow! My head... that weawy hurts..."

"Ah! Monomi-chan! Ibuki hasn't heard your voice in forever!" Mioda peppily bounces to her feet, nearly whacking Tsumiki in the face with her arms. The nurse windmills her arms and wails as she falls over backwards, hitting the floor with a thud. Koizumi and Nidai help her up.

"Weww it's a good thing I'm back then, wight?" Monomi puffs out her chest and smiles.

"No. Go away." Togami glares at the pink and white rabbit. "You're still not welcome here." A few other kids nod in agreement and Monomi covers her head with her arms and whimpers.

"Oh... I'm sowwy..." Monomi begins to walk away, but Gundam stops her.

"Halt! The grandiose one may have no need for you, but one such as I finds value in all the sources he can get." Gundam crosses his arms again and glares at Togami. The imposter glares back. "Tell me, undead servant of the unforgiving Yama... have you something to do with the missing Monobeast?" Togami scoffs, but Monomi beams in pride.

"Yup! I destwoyed that evil Monobeast!"

"Hah, _you_?" Owari laughs. "Well, at least you're funny."

"No, it's twue! Now you guys can get to the second iswand! I'm sure you'll be able to deepen your fwendship even more with the things there!" Monomi happily proclaims. Togami snorts.

"Please. We're trying to find a way off of this rock, not spend more time here." Most of the students chime in their agreement. Togami stands up. "Alright it's settled. We will explore the new island and find a way off. Are there any objections?" Nobody says anything. Nobody except Monomi.

"B-but..." Togami cuts her off.

"No buts! Let's go!" Togami marches toward the stairs. "Now." A few of the others groan in complaint, but Togami shushes them with a glare. Slowly the kids file out of the restaurant until Gundam, Komaeda, Saionji, and Koizumi remain. Gundam scoops up his hamsters and he and Komaeda prepare to leave. They turn to Saionji, about to invite her to come with them, only to see her in a conversation with Koizumi already.

"Ah... I believe we need to explore the new island now."

"Not yet! You promised me you'd help me learn to tie my obi!" Saionji tugs on Koizumi's hand. The photographer wearily glances out at the ocean.

"Oh Hiyoko-chan, don't be like that. We need to go do this."

"But you even said I need to wash myself again so that you can make _sure_ I'm clean cause my clothes are probably dirty."

"I-I did say that..." Koizumi guiltily admits, causing Saionji to cheer.

"Yay! It's settled! We'll have soapies!" Koizumi digs her heels into the ground, preventing Saionji from pulling her.

"H-hold on, soapies? You can't mean-" Saionji cuts her off. Gundam and Komaeda glance at each other in surprise.

"Of course I do! It's okay, we're both girls!" Saionji giggles playfully. Koizumi glances around nervously. Unfortunately, she only spots Gundam and Komaeda. As Saionji drags her past them, she glares.

"Hey! You two should have left a while ago! Get going! And don't even_ think_ about following us!" She stares them down until she and Saionji get to the stairs, where she has to look forward to prevent herself from falling down them. When she's gone, Gundam and Komaeda look at each other and speak at the same time.

"I really don't think we should-" "I will not tolerate us-" They both stop and chuckle nervously, glancing away from each other.

"There's no way_ I_ thought about it..." "Such mortal desires are beyond _my_ understanding..." Gundam plays with his scarf and Komaeda sticks his hands in his pockets. They stand awkwardly for a moment before Gundam coughs.

"Let us make haste." The boys leave the restaurant and don't make eye contact all the way to the second island.


	15. Act 2: Just a Duel

"Hmph..." Gundam puts his feet up on the table, apple in hand. The animal breeder sits alone in the diner, taking a break from walking around. He had explored the islands before they started up the real simulation and this whole debacle began. Gundam had split up with Komaeda after meeting Tsumiki at the pharmacy. Komaeda was always more of a people person and Gundam, well, he was an animal guy. So the animal breeder sits in the diner, absentmindedly enjoying some peace and quiet. He honestly hopes it stays this way. The bell above the door rings as it opens. Gundam glances at the person coming in, surprised to find Kuzuryuu glaring back at him.

"Oy, what are you doing here?" The gangster remains standing in the doorway. Gundam snorts and goes back to looking out of the window.

"I could ask you the same question, obscene one." He takes a loud bite out of his apple, causing the gangster's eye to twitch.

"Yeah? Well why don't you clear out before I get angry?"

"I see no reason for such an action. I have no desire to depart from this spot." Gundam crosses his arms and turns to stare at the gangster with a half-lidded look of annoyance. Kuzuryuu bristles.

"You're really pissin' me off. I'm not in the mood to deal with your shit, especially not after that fucked up stunt you pulled during the trial." Kuzuryuu stomps angrily into the kitchen, walking out a moment later with a plastic tray in his hands. The tray holds a hamburger and a little, thin carton of french fries.

"Oh please, I was merely saving you asinine mortals from making a gargantuan mistake." This seems to just make the gangster angrier, making him take a harsh bite out of his food. He swallows roughly and glares at Gundam.

"I'm not talking about you almost getting yourself killed like a dipshit. I'm _talking_ about that fuck-witted comment you made about Peko."

"Oh, that?" Gundam scoffs. "That was merely a method of stopping you from acting like an unnecessary fool. You need not constantly insult the people you reside on this island with. You do realize that angering the wrong people will have severe repercussions." Kuzuryuu doesn't take kindly to this. He slams his palms onto the table and stands up. Gundam shoots him an uninterested look.

"You know what? Fuck you, you stupid retard. At least _I_ have the might to back up my words." Gundam narrows his eyes.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean, you imbecile?" Kuzuryuu grins evilly, finally having the upper hand.

"I'm _saying_ that even though you act like a tough macho man, you're really just a prissy little bitch that screws around with his stupid furbags all day." Gundam clenches the apple core in his grip. He slams his free hand into the seat of the booth, pushing him up and giving him enough momentum to roll onto his feet. Gundam stands up on the table, glaring down at Kuzuryuu.

"You best cease your empty hostilities against me and four of the most deadly creatures in existence, lest you be _smote_ where you stand." The two boys stares each other down, when the door bell jingles again. They both glance at the new person, a very startled Mioda. She gasps when she sees the two boys squaring off.

"Oh no! The Mutual Killing is here too!" The light music club member lets out a shrill shriek and dashes out of the diner. Gundam and Kuzuryuu glare at each other, then follow Mioda out of the diner. They spot her running towards the beach house, and pursue her. Mioda skids to a stop, with Gundam and Kuzuryuu barely stopping behind her. The three stare as Nidai and Owari brutally beat each other, leaping through the air and smashing together. Owari drops her leg onto the coach, who catches it and tosses her up into the air again. He then leaps up and drives a savage punch into her stomach, sending her plummeting into the sand. Little grains of sand spray everywhere, peppering the three kids on the beach. It seems they're at the end of their battle. Nidai lands on the sand gracefully and walks over to Owari, placing a foot on her chest.

"You are WASTING YOUR ABILITIES!" The coach bellows at Owari. "You have so much potential and yet you do NOTHING with it!" The gymnast just huffs.

"Whatever." Mioda gasps, digging her nails into her cheeks.

"It's over, ladies and gents! Nekomaru-chan has singlehandedly ended the fight! Literally!" The light music club member throws her head back and howls, making Kuzuryuu cover his ears. Gundam flinches, reaching into his scarf to comfort the four gods resting within. One of them bites his hand, displaying their irritation.

"You! Do not make such an aggravating noise again! Your clamor weakens the integrity of the Four Dark Gods of Destruction!" Gundam shouts at Mioda, who matches his tone with a cheeky grin.

"Yes sir, Gundam-chan sir!" The animal breeder is about to tell off the girl when Nidai comes up to them, Owari sulking after him. Gundam addresses the coach.

"What was this fight about, spirited one?" Gundam raises an eyebrow.

"This was not a fight." Nidai crosses his arms and scratches at his nose.

"More like a b-b-b-b-beatdown!" Mioda chimes in, grinning. Nidai shakes his head.

"It was a training fight. We were sparring. It wasn't a real fight."

"That's bull. It looked damn real to me." Kuzuryuu stares skeptically at Nidai.

"Ha!" The coach lets out a curt laugh. "Please. It would be hard to have a real battle with a coach. It was nothing more than a quick spar."

"Quiiiiiick?!" Mioda gasps, leaning back so far she nearly falls over. "That battle lasted at least five minutes! That's way too many minutes for Ibuki to minute! She doesn't even have a minute making book!" The musician grips her face in mock horror.

"Again, it was not a battle. It was a duel." Nidai shakes his head.

"You bet it was a duel. A duel I'm going to win next time." Owari licks the scrapes she has from slamming into the sand. The gymnast spits out a glob of snot and blood, making Kuzuryuu take a step back to avoid getting the mixture on his shoes. He swears at her, but she doesn't respond.

"Gasp! She's alive!" Mioda puts a hand over her mouth, staring at Owari. Nidai just nods.

"There's no way one such as her would be taken down by something as simple as what we just did..."

"_Simple_?" Kuzuryuu scoffs. "I'm surprised she isn't fuckin' dead." Mioda nods in agreement and Gundam just snorts.

"Hah." Owari laughs, seemingly happy despite having been nearly beaten to a pulp. "It wasn't _that_ bad. Besides, now I have something to look forward to." She grins, staring down Nidai, who glances impassively at her. "Old man Nidai is strong, sure, but I'm going to prove that _I'm _stronger!"

"If that is the case, then let me offer you some advice." Nidai turns his attention to her, staring into her eyes. "Your timing, your intervals, your application? Mediocre at best." Owari's grin falls, and she glares at the coach. "While you are certainly impressive, having gotten this far on talent alone, you will not be able to best even one of my weakest players with that kind of skill." Nidai jams a finger into the gymnast's chest. "You must TRAIN! AND TRAIN HARD! TO BE AN EXPERT, YOU MUST FIRST MASTER THE BASICS, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" Gundam, Kuzuryuu, and Mioda lean back as Nidai yells Owari.

"Bah. Whatever." Owari shakes her hand at Nidai dismissively.

"Perhaps when you learn this, we can spar again." Nidai crosses his arms, signaling the end of the conversation.

"Hah, I wouldn't miss that chance for the world, old man." She turns to walk away, when Komaeda comes up to the group of five.

"Ah! There you guys are! I've been looking all over for you." The luckster pants, as though he's just run ten laps around the island, which Gundam suspects he may have done, all things considered.

"What is it you wish from us?" The animal breeder raises an eyebrow, staring down Komaeda.

"It's not me. Togami wants us to gather by those ruins near the bridge to the central island."

"Eh? Ruins?" Owari scratches her head. "I don't remember any ruins."

"Feh, of course you don't." Kuzuryuu snarks. "Just follow my lead, you dimwit." The gangster walks away from the others, kicking up little flurries of sand. Nidai shrugs and follows him, the rest of them quickly following suit.

* * *

"_Finally._" Togami huffs, crossing his arms when he sees the six of them arrive. "You'd think that an order like I gave would be easy to follow out. I guess not." The imposter snorts and turns away. "Now that we're all finally here, we can begin our discussion."

"Yeah, but we're not all here. That kid with the weird hair isn't here." Owari chimes in, picking at her ear. A look of uncertainty crosses Togami's face when she mentions Hinata, but he quickly shakes it away.

"Whatever, we're wasting time. Someone, if we can find him, can tell him later." Togami begins talking again before anyone can continue on the Hinata subject. Gundam crosses his arms with a sigh. "Anyway, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, first things first. I want to hear reports. What did we find?"

"I-I found a pharmacy!" Tsumiki excitedly exclaims. She quickly launches into a fit of tears and apologies. "I-I'm sorry! It's just... it had lots and lots of medicine! I could give anyone a shot if they get sick or injured, so don't be afraid!" The nurse giggles excitedly. Kuzuryuu scoffs.

"If anything, you're just making people _more_ scared." Tsumiki bursts into a sob, causing Koizumi to glare at the gangster.

"_I_ found a library that had plenty of books on the occult, as well as serial killers and great heroes!" Sonia clasps her hands together. "There were so many interesting tales! One detailed the journey of a boy who bent vicious creatures to his will, becoming a great hero that was the strongest monster handler of them all! There was also one of a man dressed as a player of a sport where you hit a ball and run around bases, I think called baseball! He cleansed the world, but it turns out that he was the true evil the whole time! And one told of an underwater city meant to be a utopia, only for it to fall to vice and sin with the introduction of a valuable resource that made its users crave more and more! Ooh also-"

"Enough." Togami cuts her off. "This has nothing to do with getting off of the island. It sounds like you got caught up in reading fairy tales."

"Oh dear, it appears I did..." Sonia sighs. "I apologize."

"Yeah, I found a diner." Kuzuryuu remarks. "Although the mutt whisperer here also found it." Gundam feels his eye twitch. He is _this_ close to beating the gangster's face in with his own fancy shoes. Nidai speaks up before Gundam's emotions get the best of him.

"There was nothing interesting with the private beach and the beach house, unfortunately." The coach shakes his head. "Just cases full of drinks and a broken shower..."

"Well that's that, then." Togami crosses his arms. "While you simpletons were flitting around uselessly, I was making an important discovery."

"But Togami-kun... You were just walking around this building..." Hanamura chuckles lightly.

"I am aware of that. But have any of you actually _looked_ at these ruins? You can't tell me this doesn't look familiar." The imposter gestures at the building behind him. Everyone turns and stares at it for a few moments. Suddenly, it clicks in Gundam's head. These ruins... they look like Hope's Peak. He doesn't recognize them. Where did these ruins come from? A few of the sharper students quickly figure it out as well.

"Oh! I... see it!" Koizumi chimes in. Nidai nods in agreement. Komaeda glances over at Gundam with a confused look, to which the animal breeder responds by shrugging. Kuzuryuu snorts and looks away.

"Now follow me." Togami motions at the others, and the group obediently follows Togami as he marches up to where the front door would be. He stops just short of it, then points at the door. "Go clean that off."

"You're kidding... You can't just order us around." Koizumi says, putting a hand on her hip and sighing in irritation. Togami rolls his eyes.

"Someone go do it." He stares at the group until Komaeda heads toward the door and brushes some of the dust and grime off with his coat. He takes a surprised step back when he sees how... high-tech the door looks.

"Woah! Ibuki doesn't think that's normal!" Mioda runs up and helps Komaeda finish cleaning it off, wiping her hands on his back when she's done. Komaeda shoots the musician a weary look before taking a step back. The rest of them inch closer to the door to look at it.

"Hey look! There are words!" Mioda points excitedly to some scratches on the otherwise immaculate door. Gundam squints, noting that there are indeed words on the door.

"The words of the makers... they read 'Future'." Gundam crosses his arms.

"Yo, who cares?" Kuzuryuu grunts, walking up to the door. "Let's get this damn thing open. How's this stupid thing work?" Kuzuryuu bangs on the door a few times. Saionji laughs at him.

"How about the computer thing on the side? Gosh, I didn't realize how _great_ and _observant_ you are." The dancer snickers, placing a hand on her lips. Kuzuryuu glares, moving over to the small computer built into the wall next to the door.

"How about you shut the hell up? Now all we gotta do is figure out a password, and we'll be golden." The gangster reaches forward, finger tips centimeters from the screen, when Togami's voice stops him.

"Don't touch that."

"Hah, why should I listen to you? What's it gonna do, tell me I can't get in? Ooh, scary." Kuzuryuu scoffs, and goes back to press the screen, when Togami casually walks over and yanks him backwards by the jacket collar. Kuzuryuu swears, stumbling and nearly falling. Mioda and Saionji laugh, and he shoots both of them a death glare. "What the fuck?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you wanted to die." Togami points up at something draped in vines and overgrowth. Upon closer inspection, Gundam can tell that it's a wall mounted machine gun, aimed right at the space in front of the computer screen. A few students gasp in surprise, and Hanamura lets out a pitiful squeaking sound. Kuzuryuu tenses up slightly.

"Bah, whatever. Looks like we're out of luck." The gangster flicks his hand dismissively at the door, making Saionji giggle.

"Why are you chickening out? What's the worst it can do, tell you that you can't get in? Ooh _scary_." She ends with a quiet cackle, making Kuzuryuu glare at her.

"Oh yeah? Well screw the gun, let's see the worst _I_ can do." He starts marching toward Saionji menacingly. Koizumi goes to put herself in between the two, but Gundam acts faster. The animal breeder's instincts kick in, and he shoulders the gangster hard enough to make him topple into the dirt. Togami goes to break up the fight.

"Alright, that's enough." Kuzuryuu ignores him, launching up from the dirt to tackle Gundam to the ground. The animal breeder slides back half a foot with the gangster on top of him. Kuzuryuu throws a wild punch, catching Gundam in the jaw. A quick burst of pain shoots through him, and Gundam responds by thrusting his head forward, smashing his skull into Kuzuryuu's nose. He reels back slightly, and Gundam uses that chance to roll them over, pinning Kuzuryuu's arms to the ground with his legs. The animal breeder raises his arm to punch Kuzuryuu in the face. He hears a few screams in the background, but tunes them out. Gundam drops his fist, but Kuzuryuu jerks to the side, throwing Gundam's punch sideways and driving his fist into the dirt. The gangster then jams his knees into Gudnam's back and rolls backwards, throwing the animal breeder off of him. Gundam skids to a stop and jumps to his feet, Kuzuryuu doing the same. They square off, the rest of the world tuned out. That is, until Gundam feels himself yanked back forcefully by a meaty hand. His adrenaline gets the better of him and he swings around, intending to backhand his new assailant. Nidai simply catches the swing and uses it to flip Gundam over, throwing him to the ground. As the animal breeder stares up into the sky, dazed, he hears Kuzuryuu and Togami yelling at each other. Their fight brings him back into reality.

"... is enough! I am _tired_ of you acting out for no reason!"

"Piss off! You can't tell me how I'm supposed to act!"

"I am your _leader,_ you idiot! It's my _job_ to tell you how to act!" The same arm that flipped him into the dirt comes into view, and Gundam takes the hand, letting it haul him to his feet. He looks wearily at the coach, who stares at him in slight disappointment. Gundam just scoffs.

"I realize that Kuzuryuu is being brash, but you must learn to control your feelings." Nidai says to him, crossing his arms.

"I care not for your advice, spirited one." Gundam says simply, turning away from the coach. A glance at Kuzuryuu reveals the damage caused. His suit is ripped in a few places and his nose runs with blood. Gundam runs a hand over his own jaw, feeling it already beginning to swell. The skin angrily buzzes at him when he touches it, spikes of pain jamming into him. The animal breeder gazes impassively at the horrified reactions of most of the other kids, interested only in Saionji's anger and Komaeda's worry.

"Oh goodness! Togami-kun, you should have let the battle continue, I had my money on the scarf kid!" Monobear cackles.

"Y-you were betting on their lives?! That's howwible!" Monomi glares at the monochrome bear. The kids turn to the two arrivals with varying degrees of anger and annoyance.

"Eesh, tough crowd." Monobear raises his arms in mock surrender.

"Tell us what this building is." Togami diverts his attention away from Kuzuryuu.

"Um... well..." Monobear looks confused, then worried, then guilty.

"How about you then?" The imposter turns to glare at Monomi, who starts shaking.

"W-well... y-you see... it uh..." The rabbit trails off, refusing to answer.

"Are you seriously not going to say anything?" Togami scowls at the two.

"Perhaps it has something to do with the reason this island is empty, aside from us..." Nidai ponders out loud, staring back at the building.

"But if they're hiding, it has to be for a good reason, right? Does that mean we're in trouble too?" Koizumi glances around nervously, then sighs.

"Yeah, all these theories are great... but it's a shame we can't confirm them..." Monobear scratches the back of his head.

"Why not?" Togami stares Monobear down.

"Well, you see..." Gundam raises an eyebrow. The bear seems almost... embarrassed. "I can't really get in there..."

"Eh?" Kuzuryuu looks at Monobear in disbelief. "Why not?"

"Well... Monomi and I may have the power to 'teleport' as you kids might call it, but I can't really... teleport into that building." Monomi gasps in surprise, but otherwise remains silent. "So yeah, it's a mystery." Monobear chuckles. "But I have high expectations for you bastards. You can do it!"

"So," Kuzuryuu grins, "all we have to do is find the traitor, then?"

"What are you going on about?" Togami glances at Kuzuryuu.

"Don't you remember? That raccoon thing said that there was a traitor. Obviously the traitor knows the password. We just have to find out who it is, rough 'em up a little, and get the password." The gangster turns to glare at Gundam. "My money's on weasel breeder here."

"Did you not find yourself satisfied with the beating you received earlier? I would _gladly_ administer another." Gundam clenches his fist and takes a step toward Kuzuryuu, who laughs.

"I'd like to see you try." Kuzuryuu grins cockily at him, but Togami gets between them before Gundam can give Kuzuryuu the beating he so greatly deserves.

"_Enough_ you two." Togami stops them. Kuzuryuu just rolls his eyes.

"Whatever." The gangster turns to Monobear. "So who is it? Who's the traitor?!"

"Upupupu..." Monobear covers his mouth and chuckles.

"Wh... what's so funny?" Hanamura asks shakily.

"Oh, nothing much. I was just wondering if you bastards had ever heard of the World Destroyers."

"Hey! Don't change the subject!" Kuzuryuu clenches his fist.

"No, no I get it. It sounds like a name made up by a kid in primary school, right?" Monobear chuckles. "It's a shame they actually exist."

"So who are these World Destroyers?" Togami stares down Monobear.

"Well you see, it's pretty self-explanatory. They destroyed the world!" The air gets weighed down with a heavy feeling.

"D-d-d-destroyed the w-w-world?" Tsumiki stutters out.

"Yup! And I'm not even exaggerating! They ruined the world. Death, destruction, corruption, the whole nine yards. Maybe the title of World Destroyers is pretty accurate, huh?" Monobear puts a paw on his 'chin', staring off in thought.

"A-are these terrorists of some sort?" Hanamura runs his fingers through his hair, hands shaking.

"Hmm... I guess you could call them terrorists..." Monobear snickers. "Although aren't terrorists the losers? 'Heroes' is what they call the winners, right? That would make these guys the heroes that destroyed the world." Gundam clenches his fist and the lies Monobear spouts. He doesn't want to say anything, but he knows this is wrong.

"That... that doesn't make any sense!" Koizumi says, clenching her camera strap. "Are you saying these World Destroyers put us here?"

"Mu... World Destroyers... does that mean Monobear and Monomi are part of this nefarious group?..." Nidai stares down at his fists, lost in thought.

"Curious indeed..." Monobear grins. "I guess the only thing we can say for sure is that the traitor and the reason you bastards are here... they are both undoubtedly linked to this World Destroyers group, huh?"

"What would make us targets of a super duper evil group like that?..." Mioda scratches at her head. The remark nearly draws a nervous chuckle from Gundam, but he forces it down.

"Bah, quiet. I've told you before and I'll tell you again, there is no traitor. Besides, that is the most far-fetched story I have ever heard. There is a point where things get practically nonsensical, and this 'World Destroyers' story crosses it. This is yet another one of Monobear's ridiculous spiels in a failed attempt to get us to kill each other. So piss off, you toy. We have no time for you." Togami crosses his arms and snorts.

"Hehehe..." Gundam finds himself chuckling at Monobear. "Not to worry, you dingus. _I_ will remember your stories. As I dine over your ragged corpse."

"..." Monobear hangs his head and sighs. "So ungrateful, the lot of you. I spent my precious time to help you find out how you got here and you reward me by dismissing my facts as stories?..." Monobear bears his claws angrily. "Well fine! See if I ever try to help you bastards out again! I'm telling you the truth! It was the World Destroyers who trapped you here! That's why you need to find the traitor and kill them!" Gundam finds himself glaring at Monobear, knowing that the bear knows damn well the 'traitor' is dead.

"Y-you need to be quiet!" Monomi throws up her arms and shouts at the bear.

"Hah! Maybe it's you who needs to be quiet, sister dear." Monobear grabs onto the rabbit's ears, making her whimper.

"D-don't gwab my ears! Owww!" The students watch as Monobear drags off Monomi, both of them disappearing when they blink.

"...Ibuki didn't get any of that." Mioda glances around slowly.

"I am afraid I don't understand either." Sonia plays with the bow on her chest.

"Hmph. What does it matter?" Togami crosses his arms and stares at the ruins. "Monobear never says anything truthful. What is there to get, besides the fact that he's a filthy liar? Let's go back to the central island. It's getting dark." Gundam glances up at the sky, noticing it colored orange and streaked with purple. How long had they spent listening to Monobear's nonsense?

"It _is_ late." Komaeda says. He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. "I think we should get to bed. We'll need to have our energy for whatever happens tomorrow, right?" A few of the other kids nod in agreement, breaking off from the group and heading back toward the hotel. Others hang around the ruins for a few moments before leaving as well. Gundam finds himself near the tail end of the group with Tsumiki. The nurse fusses over him, poking and prodding at his swelling jaw.

"Oh dear! I-I-I'm sorry! D-d-did that hurt?" Tsumiki pokes at his jaw again, making Gundam wince. It hurts to open his mouth to talk, but he has to get her to stop touching him.

"Yes. Yes it does. Now stop." He turns to look at her and she sniffles.

"I'm sorry..." She rubs at her face and Gundam sighs, placing a hand on her shoulder. Tsumiki flinches at his touch.

"Look. I apologize for my... unnecessary rebuke. I am just irritated by my injury. What do you recommend for it?" Gundam half-smiles, the bruised end of his face unable to follow the other end, at the nurse's happy expression at him asking her for help.

"Oh! Well I would recommend putting some ice on it, for sure. Try not to irritate it too much, and avoid food that would require excessive force to chew..." Tsumiki's smile drops as she continues. "O-oh! I'm sorry for t-t-telling what to d-do..." She tears up, but Gundam chuckles.

"Do not cry, timorous one. I asked for your advice, therefore, I appreciate you telling me what to do. I will apply said frozen liquid to my wound when I arrive at my cottage. Thank you." Tsumiki smiles shyly.

"Oh... it w-was no p-problem..." She giggles and Gundam smiles. While the other kids head back to their cottages, Gundam heads to the restaurant. He pushes the door open, entering the kitchen, and begins his search. It actually gets late enough that the nighttime announcement chimes through the restaurant. It's then that Gundam notices how dark it is, dark enough that he has to turn on the light to continue his search. He eventually finds what's he's looking for, a small plastic bag, that he fills with ice. He presses it to his face as he walks back to his cabin. The ice makes his face go numb after a few moments. The animal breeder has no idea if it's working or not.

"Hnn..." Gundam mumbles to himself as the ice chills his face. He heads into his cottage and begins to undress himself for bed. The Four Dark Gods leap out of his scarf, scampering up onto their perch again. Gundam chuckles, collapsing onto his bed ungracefully. The lack of stamina, both from standing around all day and fighting with Kuzuryuu, hit him and he's asleep just moments after he hits the mattress.


	16. Act 2: Got a Moment?

Gundam wakes up alone for once. The ease in which he rolls over surprises him. The animal breeder rubs the sleep from his eyes and bolts up right when his aching face touches the mattress. The wet mattress. The excessively wet mattress. Gundam sits up straight and glares at the wet spot on his bed. He doesn't drool. Surely this must be some sort of sick prank to- He glances down at the empty plastic bag. Oh. The ice melted and soaked into his bed.

"...Damn it..." Gundam mumbles to himself and gingerly touches his sore face. So much pain. This is ridiculous. He slowly gets up, stretching the kinks out of his joints. Something gnaws at him. It's loneliness. Gundam sighs. He hasn't slept alone in... how long? Years? The thought draws a chuckle from him. One so mighty as him, having separation anxiety. How droll. The animal breeder slowly dresses himself, the morning announcement happily pinging through his cottage making him realize how early he woke up. He heads out anyway, the crisp morning air nipping at his face. The Four Dark Gods of Destruction nestle themselves deeper into his scarf. The chill of the morning air stinks of malice today. Gundam starts his walk towards the restaurant and tenses in surprise, going stiff as a board, when someone taps him on the back. He whirls around to see Tsumiki, flinching at his sudden motion.

"I-I-I'm sorry! I j-just wanted to check up on you!" The nurse starts sobbing. Gundam raises his eyebrows in surprise. Why is she crying.

"Timorous one, relax. It is fine. Your concern is noted. Stop crying."

"S-sorry..." She sniffles and reaches up to touch his face. Her hand lands on his swollen jaw and he recoils in surprise. Tsumiki has a realization and begins wailing again. "O-oh my goodness I'm sorry! I-I just wanted to check the injury I should have asked first please don't be mad a meeeeee!"

"Hn..." Gundam glances around, hoping someone would be here to help him with the girl. No dice. He sighs and places a hand on her shoulder and squeezes lightly. "Calm yourself. You are a medical _professional_. You do not need my permission to conduct your business. Now cease your tears. There are more important things to do. Such as getting to breakfast." With a nod, Gundam releases the now pacified nurse and stalks toward the restaurant. He notices Nidai standing outside the lodge nervously, but the area is otherwise clear. After a moment, he hears rapid footsteps behind him, and Tsumiki slows to a trot when she comes up next to him. They walk silently, climbing the stairs to the restaurant. Only Togami is there, and he leans against the railing guarding the stairs, snoring lightly. Gundam is surprised at the strength of said railing. He walks over to his normal spot, plopping himself down into the seat while Tsumiki fusses over Togami, apparently thinking him dead or the like. This wakes him up, and they squabble for a moment before Tsumiki retreats to her seat, sobbing, and Togami leans against the railing again, silently. The others slowly filter into the restaurant until everyone, sans Hinata, is there, even Kuzuryuu. They sit in relative silence when a voice cuts through the thick morning air.

"Alright guys! Today's the day!" Owari stops stuffing her mouth for some reason, looking up at everyone with an intense fire in her eyes.

"And what could you possibly be talking about?" Togami raises an eyebrow, staring at the gymnast. She jumps up, pointing at the ceiling with a purpose.

"Today is the day we find that dirty traitor and beat the snot out of them! We find that damn password, and we get out of here!" Owari grins.

"Um... Owari-san... No offense, but it's only been one night. I don't think anyone would have found anything out about the traitor. Plus, I doubt there even is a traitor..." Komaeda chuckles nervously.

"It's okay Komaeda-kun, I didn't get anything either!" Hanamura slides up to Komaeda's right, backing off when the luckster shoots him a look.

"We don't know if the traitor stories are _lies_ either, Komaeda." Koizumi crosses her arms. "You have to remember to keep an open mind about these kind of things." She huffs and turns back to her breakfast. Komaeda shoots a weary grin at Gundam. The animal breeder snorts.

"We most certainly know that they _are_ true! But we don't have to worry about him." Nidai crosses his arms with a satisfied grin. Gundam raises an eyebrow and turns to the coach.

"What are you talking about, spirited one?"

"B-but what if the traitor-" Tsumiki starts.

"There is NO WAAAAAAY! The traitor will trouble us no more!" Nidai roars, cutting the nurse off. She sniffles pathetically, and Koizumi glares at Nidai.

"Hey! Don't cut her off!" The coach seems like he's about to apologize when Gundam cuts _him_ off.

"You are so sure about that _why_?" The animal breeder looks at Nidai expectantly. The coach, true to Gundam's expectations, blurts out without thinking. Gundam is pretty sure he can see the one, dusty gear in Nidai's head turning. Sometimes the coach has an incredible thinking ability. Other times... not so much.

"Because he's tied up! He's not going ANYWHERE!" Everyone goes silent. Most of them stare at Nidai in surprise and disbelief. Gundam catches Togami looking startled.

"...Eh?" Sonia asks, grabbing a fistful of her dress.

"Tied up?" Saionji cocks her head. "Surely you can't be saying you tied up big bro Hinata? He's the only one we haven't seen since... the trial." The dancer giggles. "Ooh boy, you really had me there, big bro Nidai! To think that you tied up Hinata... well I'll be _damned_."

"..." Realization dawns on Nidai's face. He finally understands that he's been running his mouth for way too long. His eyes scan the crowd, and they settle on Kuzuryuu of all people. Sweat pours down his face, and Nidai grabs his head in horror. "HOLY SHIIIIIIT! What do I DO, KUZURYUU?!"

"Oy, are you kidding me?! Don't pull me into your shit!" Kuzuryuu shakes a fist at Nidai, jumping to his feet. "...God damn it." He turns to Togami. "We're fucked!" The group directs their attention to their 'leader'. Togami sighs in irritation, pressing a hand to his face.

"You two are some of the most _incompetent_ fools to _ever_ grace my vision..." The heir shakes his head, then addresses the other kids. "Yes, what those idiots are saying is true. We did tie up Hinata. With good reason, of course." He crosses his arms to finalize his statements, evidently convinced that everybody would believe him.

"Hold on! You just... tied him up? That's..." Koizumi falters with her protest. "You... ah, never mind..." The photographer huffs and looks away.

"...Anyway." Togami glances over the group with the same cool demeanor he always holds. "Hinata is tied up in the lodge. Entry is forbidden unless I authorize otherwise. Now that that debacle is over..." Togami taps his chin in thought before shrugging. "Whatever. I have nothing more to talk about. Don't go near the ruins, don't go into the lodge, don't do anything stupid. You're free to do whatever." The heir ambles over to the food table, piling a plate. A few of the kids, startled by the fact that Togami isn't lording over them, shrug and exit the restaurant. Gundam himself is one of those kids, heading out of the hotel lobby into the warming day. He figures he'll... go to the beach. Yeah. Or perhaps the farm. As he passes the pool, however, a hand lays itself on his shoulder. Gundam turns around to find Koizumi staring at him.

"...May I help you?" Gundam finds his expression falling into a glare, the photographer's face doing the same. She pulls back and crosses her arms at him.

"Yes, in fact. Come with me. Now." Her hand darts forward, roughly grabbing his wrist, and she starts walking. Gundam stands still, and Koizumi yanks on his hand, making him stumble forward after her.

"What is the meaning of this? Release me now or I will exact retribution, both for that unnecessary assault on my being yesterday morning and my unwilling capture now. Trust me when I say that you do not simply trifle with the mighty Gundam Tanaka and get away with it." He stops for a moment to let his threats sink in. The photographer marches on, ignoring him. "Hey! Acknowledge me when I speak to you! Your disparaging actions will surely be committed to memory, and when I conquer this pathetic world _you_ will be the first to succumb to my iron-fisted rule! I-"

"Would you just be quiet?" Koizumi interrupts him, continuing to drag him along. "Do you even know how to talk normally?" Gundam feels himself flush at the insult.

"Wh-! You _dare_ blasphemize the name of your future ruler?! I will have your head! It will be loped off and I will chortle at the sight of it in my lap!" The animal breeder stews angrily when he hears the redhead chuckle, knowing that for whatever reason, she isn't taking his threat seriously. Gundam remains silent for the rest of their trip to their destination, which happens to be a small building that Gundam can't remember the purpose of on the central island. However, when Koizumi opens the door, the animal breeder's heart falls. The smell of detergent washes over him. There's only one reason for him to be here with her. She pulls him in the laundromat and points at him.

"Give me your clothes. Now."

"Wh-what?! Do you not realize what you are asking?" Gundam grabs onto his scarf protectively. She wants him to _strip_ in front of her?

"You think I _want_ to do this? You boys are just... so dirty all the time. Give me your clothes. You should be happy I'm doing this for you." Koizumi huffs and crosses her arms. They stare at each other for a few moments. Gundam weighs his options. He could leave. But then the girl would probably chase him down and tear his jacket off or something. He could refuse. But then they'd be standing here uncomfortably all day. He could yell. But then he'd look like... well... He doesn't even want to go there. There's really only one option left. Complain.

"Why me?" He stands there and crosses his arms as well, probably coming off as pouting. He'll have to deal with it.

"Because you can't look respectable in some dirty, stained, ratty clothing!" Respectable? Gundam raises an eyebrow at the photographer's choice word. What could he possibly have done to have her deem him 'respectable'? Clearly there is a higher conspiracy going on here. The animal breeder stays silent for a moment before shrugging off his coat. Koizumi takes it and points at what appears to be a curtain blocking off a corner of the room. "Go there. Don't strip in front of me!" Gundam grumbles, immediately regretting his decision, and trudges into the corner. He yanks the curtain shut and pulls off his pants and shirt, wadding them up together. The animal breeder grabs a towel that was sitting on the floor, probably dirty as well, and wraps it around his waist. Some mortals have not the ability to sense his ethereal undergarments, and Gundam doubts Koizumi is one who can. He exits the changing corner and roughly plops the wad of clothing on the machine next to the one Koizumi is using. She glances back at him.

"Here. Would you like my dignity as well?" The photographer's eyes trail down to his feet.

"If you mean your socks and scarf, then yes. And here." Koizumi plunks Gundam's Student ID onto the dryer as Gundam reaches up to protectively grab his scarf. "You really need to be more careful with these type of things. What if I didn't find it and it got left in the machine? Then it would have short circuited or something and where would you be then?" She puts her hands on her hips.

"You need not lecture me, I have no time for your trivial arguments." The animal breeder peels off his socks and holds them out to Koizumi. She stares at them for a moment before glancing up at him, unamused.

"Your scarf too." Gundam shakes his head.

"You cannot confiscate the resting place of the Four Dark Gods of Destruction! To have your rancorous extremities even _graze_ its surface would be blasphemy upon itself. If need be, I will release the gods themselves, and they will surely ward off your vile influence!" Gundam strikes a pose, his hamsters taking their cue and jumping out onto his arms. Koizumi just raises her eyebrows and, now that the hamsters are no longer in their 'home', grabs the end of his scarf, yanking it towards her. Most of it comes unraveled, but the end that was (rather embarrassingly, to be honest) tucked into the back of his towel catches the Devil Dog Earring and tugs him forward as well. They end up in each other's faces, an aggressive sneer on Gundam's face. Koizumi mirrors his expression. "Release. The scarf. _Human_."

"Make me." She tightens her grip. "I'm washing this thing and that's final." A hearty laugh shakes them from their tug-of-war and they turn to glance at Monobear, who sits on one of the other washing machines.

"Upupupu! Oh my, it's certainly getting hot in here, isn't it?" Gundam shares a mutual look of disgust with Koizumi before the two stand up straight. Gundam unhooks his scarf from the earring, letting the end slump to the floor. His neck, paler than the rest of his skin, feels cold and naked without the garment on it.

"What is it you wish of us, foul demon?"

"Oh, nothing much. I was just wondering if this was going to end up... ah... dirty..." Gundam catches Koizumi looking away in surprise.

"And what brought you to that ridiculous conclusion, fiend?" The animal breeder takes a step towards the bear, who kicks his feet in humor.

"Oh I dunno... The atmosphere just seemed right, you know? I once knew a kid who wrote stories like that. Chubby guy. You wouldn't know 'im. He's dead." Gundam clenches a fist at how causally Monobear uses that word. Dead. "Anyway, I just figured since you were undressing anyway, you might as well... y'know. Considering you _are_ teenagers and all..." Gundam feels his eye twitch as Monobear snickers.

"Enough!" He shouts at the bear, jabbing him in the 'chest' with his index finger. "I loathe listening to your pompous 'stories'. Vacate the premises, or the Four Dark Gods of Destruction will have your Evil Eye and they will feast upon its hearty sustenance!" Said gods scramble out of the folds of Gundam's towel, settling on his shoulders with a ferocious chitter.

"Eesh, fine." Monobear sighs. "And here I thought things were getting interesting. Oh well. Adios." The bear jumps to his feet and walks off the edge of the washing machine, disappearing behind it. Gundam groans angrily and hops up onto the dryer, laying his forearms on his thighs. A glance at Koizumi reveals her quickly stuffing his clothes into the washing machine she's at and slamming the door shut. She turns to face him and they stare at each other for a while silently. Gundam averts his gaze and stares at his bare feet.

"Tanaka." She starts up quietly, almost inaudibly. The animal breeder looks up at the photographer. She looks... anxious. "I just... I wanted to thank you for helping out Hiyoko-chan the other day. I... didn't expect that from you." A deep chuckle bubbles up from his chest.

"Do not worry. I do not allow presumptuous fools such as Kuzuryuu to harm those unnecessarily. No one gets harmed while I am present unless I deem it fit. I am a rather benevolent ruler in that manner." Gundam closes his eyes with a grin.

"You protect... everyone?" Koizumi plays with her camera, not looking at him. Gundam finds the question odd. She worries about everyone being protected? Strange.

"...Yes. Obviously. If I let you mortals harm each other, there will be no one left to lord over, will there?" His grin rises into a smirk and the animal breeder lets out a laugh. Koizumi chuckles. Gundam's smirk falls, and he cracks an eye open to look at the photographer. "...Why? Is there someone you wish placed under the protective wing of Gundam Tanaka?"

"M-" Koizumi starts to say something, then shakes her head, cutting herself off. "...No. Forget about it." Gundam stares at the girl curiously. Perhaps there is more to her than he thought. His Student ID buzzes gently, so lightly that Gundam wouldn't have noticed if it was in his pocket, and lets out a quiet fanfare that sounds like tinkling glass. Curious, the animal breeder picks it up and flips it on. The device brings him to the screen displaying the names of the students, with Koizumi's name flashing. He taps on it, and it brings up her profile. A star-shaped icon in the top right corner with six sections flashes, and a blue chuck fills in one of the sections. Gundam notices there's already one there, putting a grand total of two blue chunks in the shape.

"Eh? What is this madness?" Koizumi leans over, letting out a quiet 'oh' in surprise.

"That's the 'Hope Shards' thing Monomi talked about, remember? I guess we uh... found one. Heh." She smiles at him, and Gundam can't help but smile back. The washing machine dings, and Koizumi hurries to pull the clothes out. They're damp and fragrant, making Gundam wrinkle his nose. Koizumi turns around to find the animal breeder still camped out on top of the dryer. "Hey! Clear out! I have to put these in before they wrinkle!" Gundam rolls his eyes, but follows her directions anyway. She's back to her old self. He can't help but think he saw a more... vulnerable part of the photographer a few moments ago. It was rather unnerving. The animal breeder leans against the wall of the tiny laundromat, getting lost in his thoughts.

* * *

Gundam walks around the second island aimlessly. Technically he has something he's supposed to be doing, finding Kuzuryuu so Koizumi can wash his clothes, but he's in no hurry to locate the gangster and he could tell that the photographer wasn't too worried either. Gundam flips through the profiles on his Student ID. Most of the others he has only one shard with. Komaeda and Saionji are unsurprisingly, or perhaps it is a surprise?, already full. Gundam isn't sure whether this was something Alter Ego did or if all those times they slept on top of him counted for Hope Shards. The only other people he has more than one with, besides Koizumi, are Sonia and Tsumiki. The princess has three, while the nurse has only two. Gundam isn't exactly too sure where those came from. With his attention absorbed by the device in his hands, Gundam doesn't notice the person near him until they clear their throat. He looks up to find Nidai walking slowly next to him. How the coach snuck up on him is a mystery.

"Is there something you want from me, spirited one?"

"Well..." Nidai stares at the animal breeder for a moment before his neutral expression rises into a huge grin. "I think we should spar!"

"...Spar?" Gundam raises an eyebrow. What is he talking about.

"Yes. Despite the rashness of your actions, that fight with Kuzuryuu showed the battle prowess in the both of you. You both obviously have had some sort of training, or at least previous experience with fighting. I think it would be valuable to work on your skills, if only so that we have something to do. I have already approached Kuzuryuu and talked to him about it." The coach sighs and sticks a finger in his nose. Gundam leans back slightly, surprised. What. "However, he brushed me off and insulted me..." Nidai has a twinge of offense in his voice, as though he took Kuzuryuu's insults personally.

"Hmm. While my power is all-mighty, I do believe honing your skills is never a waste of time... I take you up on your offer, spirited one. We should make an appointment for this 'spar'." Gundam crosses his arms and nods. Nidai grins happily.

"EXCELLENT!" He shouts, pleasure evident in his voice. "I think the best time to meet would be an hour or two after lunch tomorrow, long enough for our bodies to gain energy from our food. You should get some rest tonight, and perhaps some stretches before bed so as to loosen up your muscles. If possible, I would recommend doing five sets of ten push ups and crunches, a minute or two of rest between each set..." The coach goes on to give Gundam advice on how he should exercise in preparation and how much to eat and how long to sleep and other things. Gundam raises his eyebrows in relative surprise. Nidai sure knows his stuff. One thing the animal breeder notices is the parallels between caring for animals and caring for one's self. He supposes that they are similar processes. Gundam nods as Nidai finishes his speech. "...And remember to drink a glass of water before bed, so you stay hydrated."

"I thank you for your advice. I was rather surprised at the parallels between caring for the gentle creatures of this world and caring for one's personal well-being..." Nidai just smiles widely.

"Ah! Revealing your interests!" The coach stares at Gundam for a few moments with his mouth wide open in anticipation, like a little kid waiting for a bedtime story. Gundam crosses his arms and shakes his head lightly. Nidai frowns. "Oh. But you should. Physical health is only part of being strong. You must also train your MIND! And sharing your thoughts is one of the ways to strengthen not only your mind, but the minds of those around you!" The coach goes back to grinning expectantly at him. Gundam rolls his eyes.

"...Very well. But I expect you not to understand the finer details of my speech. Be warned, as dwelling too much on the inner concepts of my transcendent rites has obfuscated lesser minds..." Gundam lets out a dark chuckle. Nidai stares on, seemingly interested. "To begin, fostering the most superb of creatures begins with one of the most vital aspects of daily life. Diet." Gundam goes on into a rant that lasts several minutes on how to properly care for animals, the coach listening in rapt attention. When he finishes, a light buzz in his pocket indicates that he has apparently gained another Hope Shard. "...That is all. Remember these facts, and perhaps I will consider you a worthy disciple for one of the _Felis_ genus... although perhaps one of the _Canis lupus familiaris_ is more suited for one such as yourself."

"Not to worry! I will have these facts committed to memory by tomorrow morning!" Nidai claps Gundam on the shoulder roughly, laughing deeply.

"Before you depart," Gundam glances at Nidai, who looks at him inquisitively. "You said you spoke to the obscene one earlier. Where does he reside?" Nidai scratches at his chin.

"Hn... I believe it was at the diner. I tried to warn him of the dangers of not only skipping breakfast, but also of eating greasy foods for lunch constantly. Why?"

"The red-haired woman requests his presence. She is... cleaning the garments of everyone, it appears." Nidai raises both of his eyebrows, this time with a look of concern.

"Koizumi?..."

"Your concern is noted. I will be there to stave off any unwanted aggression." Gundam sighs. "Every moment spent with him is a quandary... a disaster waiting to happen..." Nidai nods reluctantly in agreement.

"I think it would be wise for me to head over there and assist..." He places a hand on the back of his head and tilts backwards slightly, laughing. "I need my clothes washed anyway! Gahahaha!" Chuckling to himself, Nidai wanders off. Gundam is one hundred percent sure the coach has no idea where the laundromat actually is. He himself barely knew, and he's been here before. Shaking his head, Gundam heads off to the diner to fetch Kuzuryuu and 'escort' him to the laundromat.

* * *

Gundam leans against the wall of the laundromat, staring lazily at the small little group in front of him. Kuzuryuu sits angrily on the bench in the changing corner in his boxers, grumbling angrily. Nidai, who had somehow managed to not only find the laundromat but also get there before Gundam, laughs with Sonia, who has a bandana tied around her hair, keeping it up. Koizumi carefully loads Nidai's clothes into the washing machine, chuckling at something Sonia said.

"Ah yes, Nidai-san! It was a very interesting exercise routine! Very, um... European!" Sonia laughs again, carefully pulling Kuzuryuu's pants out of the dryer. She tries a few times to fold them, unsuccessfully, and taps Koizumi on the shoulder. The princess watches in rapt attention as the photographer effortlessly folds Kuzuryuu's pants.

"Hey, what are you doing?! I gotta wear those, ya know!" Kuzuryuu gets up off of the bench and stomps over, snatching his pants from a laughing Sonia.

"I apologize, Kuzuryuu-san! It is just that I rarely have the chance to do 'casual' chores such as this! It is hella exciting!" Sonia smiles pleasantly at him, but the gangster just sneers at her.

"Keep your excitement to yourself." He pulls his pants on. Koizumi glares at him.

"Hey! You need to calm down! She's doing something nice for you and you're just going to act rude like that?" The redhead puts her hands on her hips, despite Sonia's insistence that she doesn't need someone to stand up for her.

"Yeah. Yeah I am. And you're lucky your boyfriends are here, otherwise I'd show you why people fear the Kuzuryuus." The blonde boy glares at Gundam and Nidai, who stare at him impassively. He scoffs. "Hah. Do they pay you too?"

"Kuzuryuu-san, that is quite enough!" Sonia points at him, scolding him like a child. Kuzuryuu snorts at her but otherwise remains quiet. Koizumi just shakes her head, leaning against the washing machine that rumbles as it washes. The five stare at each other silently. Gundam scoffs, tired of the quiet, and starts up a conversation with Nidai about the details of their spar. Sonia and Koizumi fish out the rest of Kuzuryuu's clothes from the dryer, the photographer angrily stuffing them into his hands. Kuzuryuu blows out an aggravated puff of air and throws on his clothes as quickly as possible, then exits the laundromat, mumbling something Gundam doesn't quite make out. Within a few minutes, Nidai's clothes are tossed into the dryer. Somehow, while they wait, the four manage to get into a discussion about Hinata, of all things.

"He seemed very... confused, the last time I saw him." Nidai crosses his arms with a grunt.

"Why do you think that is?" Sonia asks nervously.

"Do you not remember the section of the trial in which he explained himself?" Gundam sniffs. "He, or rather, Kamakura, said that while they share knowledge, they do not share memories."

"Yes... but what does that mean?"

"I think..." Koizumi chimes in. "I think that it means that while Hinata remembers information and facts, he doesn't remember the actual events where things happened..." Gundam nods in agreement.

"But are you sure it is... safe? What if he manages to hit his head again and turn back into that 'Kamakura'?" Sonia looks worried, but Nidai places a meaty hand on the top of her head, ruffling her hair. It seems to calm her down slightly.

"Togami made sure of it. I don't think we have to worry about Kamakura or Hinata for a while." The coach sighs and the dryer dings happily. Koizumi goes over to it, pulling out Nidai's clothes and shaking them out before handing them to him. Nidai accepts them with a nod and a smile. As he slips on his jacket, the monitor in the room lights up with the announcement tone. The four students turn to the screen, which lights up with the image of Monobear sitting in some chair, a tropical drink in his paw.

"This is a broadcast from the Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Department! Students are required to gather at Jabberwock Park for an important announcement. Move quickly please! This is important! To me, of course. And if you're first, I might treat you to a special something that may or may not be my special recipe for curry rice!" The monitor winks off with a hiss of static.

"Oh! I haven't had curry rice in a long while! Let's go!" Sonia grabs for someone, finding Gundam's wrist and yanking him after her.

"S-Sonia-chan, I don't think he was serious..." Koizumi shoots a glance at Nidai, who shrugs. Sonia either ignores her or doesn't hear her because she just keeps tugging on Gundam, pulling him out of the laundromat. She runs surprisingly fast for someone in a dress, and the animal breeder realizes he has to actually jog to keep up with her. He hears footsteps behind them and assumes that Koizumi and Nidai followed them. With a sigh, Gundam stops resisting and trots to Jabberwock Park with the princess.

* * *

**Quick Note:** Sorry this chapter is (relatively?) lateish. I've had a lot less time on my computer in general which means less time for writing and stuff. So if my updates continue to be slow, that's the reason.


	17. Act 2: Let's Play

"Hah! It's mine! The curry rice is mine!" Owari happily pumps her fist in the air. Gundam rolls his eyes as Sonia sighs in disappointment. The three stand in Jabberwock Park, the breeze whistling lightly in the air. Gundam feels something in the wind. Danger. But he supposes that's given, considering Monobear summoned them here.

"Aww shucks. I thought for sure that we were going to get the curry rice, Tanaka-san..." The princess frowns, scuffing the ground with her shoe.

"I do not think the bear is going to give her curry rice anyway. That is what I was attempting to tell you." Gundam glances at her, and Sonia looks at him with puppy dog eyes. The animal breeder finds himself staring into them. "...What?"

"If we will not get special curry rice, would you at least assist me in making some later?" Gundam wants to refuse, he really does, but the longer he stares at her looking at him like that, the harder it gets.

"Hng... Why do you not ask the chef? He could make you some, could he not?" Gundam glances away. Sonia sighs and grabs his bicep.

"Please?"

"...Fine." Gundam crosses his arms in exasperation as the princess cheers. Owari laughs.

"Hah! And here I thought you liked guys!" The animal breeder glares at her, but before Sonia can ask for clarification, another group of three enters the park.

"Noooooo! Ibuki's not the first! No curry rice for Ibuki!" Mioda skids to a stop, barreling into Owari. The gymnast grabs Mioda under the arms and lifts her up, smirking at her.

"That's right! _I_ won the curry rice!" Owari laughs, making Mioda sigh in defeat.

"Ibuki-chan!" Koizumi slows down once she comes within a few feet of the four, panting. "Don't go so fast next time, please..." She takes a moment to catch her breath, then turns to Gundam and Sonia. "And you Tanaka! You shouldn't run so fast when you have girl with you, especially one in a dress like that! What if she fell and tore it or something?"

"Hey! Do not chastise me for that!" Gundam jabs a finger at her, feeling his eye twitch angrily.

"Hey now, let's not." Nidai gets between the two, chuckling lightly.

"Yes, let us focus on the curry rice that we will be making!" Sonia chimes in.

"Eh?" Koizumi peers around Nidai at Sonia, who Gundam realizes is still clutching his arm.

"Yes! Tanaka-san and I have set a plan to make some curry rice! It will be... um... amazing!" Sonia cheers. "And you're invited! You too, Nidai-san! And you two as well!" Sonia smiles at Owari and Mioda. The gymnast and light music club member glance at each other in confusion. Apparently they hadn't heard the four talking. The princess' excitement is furthered by the arrival of Hanamura and Togami. "Ah! Hanamura-san! It would please me greatly for you to come make curry rice with us tomorrow!"

"Of course, Sonia-san." Hanamura chuckles. "I know of something else that could please you greatly as well." He grins, which is promptly removed by Togami, the imposter smacking him in the back of the head. "Ow! I'm sorry!"

"Yeah. You are." He crosses his arms, glaring distastefully at the cook, who rubs the back of his head, a guilty look on his face. Saionji and Tsumiki arrive a moment later, the dancer jeering the nurse. Gundam can tell it's playful, for her at least, and that she probably doesn't mean it. It doesn't prevent the nurse from sobbing at it anyway.

"...But yeah, I could _totally_ cut your hair for you! Sure, I'm not good with scissors, but I can't possibly make it any worse, can I?" The blonde giggles evilly, making Tsumiki sniff and wipe at her face.

"I-I-I guess not..." Saionji reaches up and lightheartedly tugs on a lock of purple hair. The nurse wails and swats lightly at Saionji's hand. Koizumi walks over and gently pries Tsumiki's hair from the dancer's iron grip. Another voice draws Gundam's attention from the debacle in front of him.

"Look, I'm not your damn friend. Get that through your thick skull."

"I understand how you feel, Kuzuryuu-kun, but please at least try to-"

"Shut up. I don't care." The gangster scoffs at Komaeda, hands in his pockets. The duo is the last to stroll into Jabberwock Park. Komaeda just sighs and walks over to Gundam.

"Ah, Tanaka-kun. Where have you been all day?" The luckster cocks his head curiously.

"I have spent most of my time at the... laundromat. With the righteous one, the spirited one, and... the princess." Gundam motions to Koizumi, Nidai, and Sonia. Komaeda raises an eyebrow.

"Socializing, are we Tanaka-kun?" The white-haired boy grins. "That's great! We can't lose hope in each other, especially at times like this!"

"Please." Gundam rolls his eyes and chuckles. He and Komaeda share a laugh.

"Alright, alright, enough of this crap." Kuzuryuu taps a foot impatiently, glaring at everyone. "This is stupid. Monobear! Where are you, ya retard?!" The gangster cups his hands around his mouth, shouting angrily.

"Ooh, sorry, sorry!" The bear appears from behind the pedestal, waving his arms frantically. He takes a few steps then comically tumbles, rolling forward before coming to a rest in a sitting position. Most of the kids watch at him, unamused. "I'm sorry I took so long! I was rather busy."

"Yo, who cares?!" Owari cracks her knuckles, taking a step towards Monobear. "I was here first! I want that curry rice! It's mine!"

"Of course, of course!" Monobear chuckles. "Tomorrow, I'll treat you to my special 'Monocurry'! It's made with special ingredients like a mysterious meat and veggies that have started to lose their color! I totally know how to make a good curry!"

"Alright!" Owari cheers. A few of the other students look in disgust at the two.

"Akane-chan, I'm not sure... that Monobear's curry will be any good..." Koizumi says reluctantly, as though offending one of them would cause them to freak out.

"It's okay, Mahiru-chan! It's hard to make bad curry, ya'know!" Mioda chimes in, grabbing Koizumi's shoulders and shaking her.

"...While there is truth in her words, we've got more important things to worry about." Togami grunts, glancing around the park. He apparently finds what he's looking for, because he turns back to Monobear. Gundam can see him looking disgusted. "Why don't you tell them about your... _motive_."

"Ah! I see you've noticed, Togami-kun! How observant!" Monobear waggles his feet happily, placing his paws against his mouth. "Upupu! Maybe we should let the others find it for themselves, though?" Togami just sighs and glances away. Gundam takes the time that some of the others use to chat to find this 'motive' Togami talks about. He spots it within a second, and wonders how he missed it upon his arrival. A ginormous television screen, partially hidden in the trees of the park. A small podium sits near it, as well as something that looks like... an arcade machine? Gundam feels his stomach drop in disgust. He understands Togami's expression now. The teens fall silent one by one as they spot the machine sitting there. It hums quietly, screen flashing with some sort of game, Gundam assumes.

"...Is that..." Komaeda stares at the machine, trailing off.

"That's right!" Monobear jumps to his feet. "It's an arcade machine! Or arcade cabinet. Or just arcade game, if you bastards don't feel like being technical." The bear stalks over to the machine, thumping it lightly with one of his feet. Apparently it was on standby, because it lights up and trumpets a bit of music.

"You want us to play that." Saionji says bluntly, glaring at Monobear. It's more of a statement than a question.

"Obviously! I mean, I made it myself! It's a masterpiece, you know. It being the game that's on there, of course. Sure, it's the only game on there, but it's still a gem!" Monobear scurries over to the podium, pulling himself up onto it. "And it's not some lame indie game either. It's a spiritual sequel to a really famous game series! Let me just turn this on..." He fiddles with something they can't see and a moment later, the huge TV lights up, displaying a photo that sends a chill down Gundam's spine. It shows a picture of the front of Hope's Peak on a gloomy day, giant balls of gray clouding the sky. The words 'Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery' are scrawled across the top in pixel writing and some words in English that Gundam thinks say 'Press Start Button' line the bottom. "Now, you bastards, let me introduce you to the one, the only, Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery!" Monobear throws back his head and cackles. The students just stare at him silently. Monobear stops laughing, slowly glancing at each student individually.

"Oh come on. Why are you bastards so quiet? I swear it's good." The bear rubs the back of his head chuckling nervously. "Ah, you're just worried because it's your motive? Alright, I'll sweeten the deal a bit. The very first winner gets a special prize! How's about that?" Monobear's malicious grin seems to widen slightly as he waits for a response. Nothing but the sound of the waves and the gentle whistling of the wind speak back. "Hey! Don't ignore your headmaster!"

"We're not ignoring you." Togami scoffs in revulsion. "We, or at the very least _I_, am surprised at not only your audacity, but also that you assumed this motive would work."

"...Eh?" The bear tilts his head in confusion. "What?"

"You treat this as some kind of joke, monochrome one." Gundam shifts into a somewhat more aggressive stance, fists clenched and knees bent slightly. "You give us this game as some sadistic mockery of the thoughtful one. Your derogatory actions disgust us. Let me make this clear." The animal breeder jabs his finger in Monobear's direction. "You believe you are above the 'law' in this enigmatic land, but you too are simply a pawn for the higher up's actions. Your works are an exercise in futility if you truly believe we will simply follow along with your so-called 'motives'." He crosses his arms and scoffs. "I will spit on your grave and sully it with my urine."

"I... you... what?" Monobear leans back, bewildered and freaked out.

"What Tanaka-kun is trying to say is that we're not taking your motive." Komaeda nods at the animal breeder. "You're insulting us by giving us a video game to play and expecting us to just do it."

"Exactly." Togami nods.

"Eesh, he coulda just said it." Monobear sighs and jumps down from the podium. "Look, I'm not _forcing_ you bastards to play the thing for goodness sake." The bear places his hands on his mouth and chuckles evilly. "That doesn't mean you're not going to play it though."

"Wh-what's that supposed to mean?" Tsumiki clutches at her apron fearfully.

"I mean that I doubt that you bastards are going to find a reason not to play it." Monobear's red eye glints intimidating. "To ignore the motive, you've got to have some strong resolve, right? Well while most of you may have benefited from that... atrocious speech that Sonia-san gave, I'm sure somebody took a more uh... negative approach to it." Monobear leans back happily, malice still laced into his voice. "Not that I would know who that is. Or if it even happened."

"...My speech was atrocious? And here I thought I had all of the public speaking guidelines down..." Sonia sighs.

"Oy, don't listen to him." Togami pats Sonia on the shoulder and turns to Monobear. "Nobody wants to play your game. Nobody's going to play your game. Is that clear?" He turns to stare at the other kids, conviction in his voice so strong Gundam isn't sure anybody would, or could, disobey him. The group nods at him. "Good. I think we're done here."

"If you say so. Upupu..." Monobear snickers, seemingly not worried in the slightest that they're objecting to playing his game. "But let me just remind you something. You bastards are your own worst enemy. I think Togami-kun himself said this, did he not? But I'm not talking about the 'true evil' inside you or whatever. Your so-called 'friends' could be plotting your murder right now. Just a bit of food for thought, huh?" Monobear waves cheerily at the group, waltzing off behind the pedestal and disappearing.

"I..." Hanamura wrings his hands before grabbing onto Togami's arm and wailing. The imposter desperately tries to shake the cook off. "I'm scared!"

"Ibuki's scared too! Hold her, Byakuya-chan!" Mioda grabs onto Togami's other arm and the two cling to him. Togami tilts his head back and groans angrily.

"Would you two let go?"

"So, Togami-kun..." Komaeda gently grasps his chin, thinking. "What do you think we should about this 'motive'?"

"I'm not sure at the moment." The imposter manages to free himself from the two clingy teens, shooting them a disapproving glare. "I believe the best course of action would be for me to watch over it for the time being."

"B-but Togami-san... I've noticed th-the bags under your eyes... a-and you seem really fatigued..." Tsumiki timidly taps him on the shoulder. "H-have you been getting enough sleep?"

"...Yes." Togami looks at her strangely. "I've just... taken to waking up early."

"E-every day?" The nurse begins fussing over Togami. "No no no you can't be getting up so early all the time when you're not getting enough sleep!" Togami seems surprised, apparently that someone is fussing over _him._ "You have to be getting enough sleep so that you can be healthy and have enough energy to do things like... like lead us!" Tsumiki pats his face in various places, stunning the imposter. Gundam chuckles.

"Perhaps we should just leave the game alone. I, for one, have no desire to play this amalgamation of horror that Monobear has provided to us." The animal breeder crosses his arms with a sigh.

"Yeah." Komaeda nods in agreement. "I don't think we need to watch over the game too much. I mean, it's not like... uh... anyone wants to play it. Right?" The luckster glances around at the others. Most of the students chime in their agreement. Togami stares impassively at the arcade machine before some sort of realization hits him.

"I have a better idea." The imposter shrugs Tsumiki off of him, straightening his back. "I've changed my mind. We're going to play the game. Right now." The group turns to him in disbelief.

"But you're the one who said we _shouldn't_ play it, Mr. Porkfeet!" Saionji cocks her head and purses her lips. "Make up your mind already."

"I have. We're playing it." Togami crosses his arms, finalizing his orders. Some of them try to protest anyway.

"But you said we shouldn't!" Hanamura says, fearfully glancing at the arcade machine.

"You're just going to give into Monobear's motive?! Why?" Koizumi puts her hands on her hips.

"Are you serious, grandiose one? What is the point?" Gundam feels his lips pull up into a sneer.

"Look." Togami holds up a hand, shutting them all up. "If we all play this now, together, then we run less of a risk of having someone run off in the night, play the game, and have a motive that nobody else knows about. That type of thing causes murders, people." Togami pounds a fist into his palm. "In addition, Monobear also promised a 'special prize' to the first winner. If we're all here, that just eliminates the chance of someone having this 'prize' secretly. For all we know, this special prize is a gun or something. So we're playing the game. That's an order." The imposter marches over to the arcade cabinet, the others reluctantly trailing after him. Togami stands off to the side, so that he can peer over the edge at the screen, and waits.

"Um... Togami-kun? I thought you were going to play the game." Komaeda says, reluctantly approaching both the boy and the machine.

"No, I wasn't. But thank you for volunteering." Togami motions toward the controls and Komaeda, ever the pushover, approaches them after a moment. Gundam comes up to his side, Saionji opposite of him, and the rest of them crowd around the machine, trying to get a good look at the game as it gets played. Komaeda sighs, grabbing the joystick with one hand and pressing start with the other.

The group packs tighter around the machine as it lets out a bit of music to show the game has begun...

* * *

_Day Two begins by throwing them straight into the game. They take control of a girl standing by what appears to be the front door of a school. She moves down the hall when directed, up a set of stairs, and into a nearby classroom. Four other girls stand there most of them welcoming the player character into their conversation. One of them jeers the player character, but stops. Eventually. The__ conversation is about an article in the newspaper. A pervert broke into the school and killed someone. Someone that they had seen themselves with their own eyes. But was it really some pervert that broke in? One of the girls acts strangely defensive when another mentions that she took pictures of the crime scene. Said girl tears up the photos and yells at the others. The screen fades to black, ending Day Two._

_ Day Four is next, for some reason, and the angry girl walks through the halls of the same school. She's not angry anymore. More like... scared? She mutters something to herself about taking too long to change and that the situation was similar to the one two days ago. Just as she reassures herself, however, another text box pops up on the screen._

_ "I won't let you... get away with it... Never..." The girl panics, running into a nearby room and disappearing from the screen. The text box remains, sending out the message of 'NeverNeverNever' for a minute before the screen goes black. Red words splatter themselves onto the screen, suddenly and roughly. 'NEVERFORGIVE'. When the next scene comes up, three of the other girls stand in the hall, when the picture girl runs up to them in a panic. The four run down the hall, approaching the door that the last girl entered earlier. The game displays a loading screen, and when it goes away, the players are confronted by a picture of a girl, slumped against a wall, blood splattered everywhere, including the bat that lays discarded on the floor. An angry noise resounds through the game as the screen fades to black one final time. A gray haze grows on the screen, and English words rise to the top of it, pressing against the screen. 'Game Over... DULL START...'_

* * *

"..." Gundam could hear a pin drop. That... was unexpected. How it figured in as a motive was beyond even his omnipotent gaze, but it was still jarring enough for him to find it hard to care about that at the moment. He can vaguely remember the event happening. Not the specifics shown in the game, but the fact that someone's sister died is a memory he holds. It was so many years ago, he has trouble recalling who. The haze on the screen floats around, flowing like fog. The words stand out among the gray fog, glaring at them.

"...That's it?" Togami sounds disbelieving, lightly gripping the edge of machine. A quiet chatter rises up as the students being talking about what the heck they just saw.

"Wh-what kind of game was that?" Koizumi seems unsettled, anxiously glancing around at the others.

"That... didn't make any sense!" Nidai takes a step back, shouting. Komaeda hits the start button, bringing the screen back to the start screen. The image of Hope's Peak stares back at them.

"...Monobear!" Togami peers over the heads of the other students, glancing behind the machine and around the pedestal, calling out again. "Monobear!"

"Yes, Togami-kun?" The bear stands with his back straight, grinning cheekily at the group. The talks fades away when their 'headmaster' approaches. "Oh, I see you decided to play my game after all! I'm touched."

"Shut up. Where's our prize?" Togami clenches a fist, which draws a guffaw from the bear.

"Prize? Why would I give you a prize? You're not done!"

"What do you mean, not done?!" Before he gets and answer, the bear disappears. The group flies into a frenzy, their voices ranging from outraged to upset. Komaeda hesitantly shushes them.

"Guys. Guys!" Everyone stops talking, and Gundam notices him taking a hold of the controls again. "I have an idea."

"Do you?" Togami snorts and stares at him. "Well go ahead. Nobody's stopping you."

"Alright. Sorry." Komaeda's hands go back to the controls. He retracts them a moment later, wiping his palms on his jeans. Grabbing the joystick again, Komaeda pulls it 'down', then pushes it up, then moves it to the left twice. He then shakily hits start. Nothing happens for a moment, then the screen goes dark and comes back up again. It shows Hope's Peak, but the sky is now blood-red as opposed to gray. The title now reads: 'Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery: Truth'. A few kids gasp in surprise, but Togami shushes them. Taking a moment and a breath to steady himself, Komaeda reaches forward and hits the start button again.

* * *

_Instead of throwing the players right into the game, like with Day Two, Day One begins with a screen of scrolling text. It outlines what happened in Days Two and Four, then asks them if they think playing Days One and Three will really help them. 'It should.', the game says, 'All of the missing pieces are hidden here in Truth Mode. One can only believe you'll be able to find them.'_

_ The scene changes with a strange flash. One of the girls runs up to three of the others. She apologizes for being late, and another chastises her for it. The photographer girl snaps a picture, prompting a complaint from one of the girls. Their conversation shifts into a more heavyhearted one, that of the recent reports of a 'neighborhood pervert' spying on the kids in the area. The girls react with a start at the sound of shattering glass that might as well have been right behind the players. They run down the hall and up a flight of stairs to find the fifth member of the group standing outside of a room._

_ "I heard the sound of shattering glass" She says. The five head into the room, a music room, to find a horrifying sight. A girl slumped up against the wall near a broken window and a broken fish tank. Her blood coats the floor. The five talk nervously, afraid of the body laying on the floor. They look around the room, for what reason the players cannot fathom. Video game logic perhaps. _

_ "I don't want to do this anymore!" One girl says. "Let's just leave!"_

_ "B-but shouldn't we report this?" Another asks. The player character._

_ "Let's just get out of here! We'll be suspicious if we report it." This seems to convince the others. The girls walk off screen, leaving the camera focused on the body. The screen slowly fades to black, Day One ending, leaving the image of a body laying silently in a music room among blood and glass burned into the minds of the players._

_ Day Three shows one of the girls, the photographer, standing alone in a field behind the school. Another girl comes up. The one that was outside of the room on Day One. They chat lightly for about half a second before the photographer pulls out the stinger. A picture of a broken flower vase. The other girl flies into a rage, asking her where this came from. The photographer timidly reveals her information. It was in the room next to the music room. "The breaking glass wasn't the window was it?" The photographer asks. And the other girl spills her guts. She did it. It was her. The girl is dead because of her. It wasn't selfish though. She did it for the photographer. She goes into a rant on her motives, the photographer listening fearfully. Then she snatches the picture from the photographer's hands._

_ "It's not your fault!" She screams. "And it's not mine! It's her's! It was always her fault!" The girl runs away, the photographer calling out to her. Too late. The screen transitions to a view of a dumpster. The girl crumples up the picture and tosses it in the dumpster, then runs away. A boy, the first boy of the game, comes up to the dumpster, grabbing the picture. He looks at it, then clenches it in his fist._

_ "It was her, wasn't it?" He says. "There's no other reason she would throw... this away." He angrily tears the picture in half. "What did he do to my sister?... I'll get her to talk. And if what I'm thinking is true... I'll..." The screen fades to black. The text box stays, scrolling down. The words are no longer white, but red. A vicious, ugly red. "I'll never forgive her!"_

* * *

The screen lights up with an image of Monobear on a happy, lime green background. 'Game Cleared!' is written along the top of the screen. The screen winks off with a static sound. Nobody moves. They just stand, stunned, staring at the blank screen. Then it lights back up, and the words 'Credits' in white text appears in the middle of the screen. The text slowly starts crawling up. It lists a variety of designing and marketing positions, all with Monobear's name after it. The cast is what surprises them the most. A list of very familiar names and one strange one. Tsumiki, Saionji, Mioda, Koizumi, Satou, Kuzuryuu, Kuzuryuu. Gundam is floored. So it's true. This actually did happen. He shoots a glance at Saionji, seeing her eyes glazed over. The dancer emptily stares at the arcade machine, gripping her kimono tightly. One final line comes up on the screen after the credits. A simple line of white words. 'May be based on a true story'.

"Ahahaha! I told you it was a great game!" Monobear cackles from behind the group. A few of the students shake themselves from the shock of the game. Togami, Nidai, Owari and Gundam separate themselves from the group to deal with the bear. He continues to laugh sadistically. Gundam catches sight of the manila folder clasped under his arm. "I can see how much you bastards enjoyed it!"

"Just shut up and give me that." Togami holds his hands out expectantly. The other three cross their arms intimidatingly, glaring at Monobear.

"Alright, alright. Hold yer horses. Jeez." Monobear waltzes up, holding out the folder to Togami. The imposter snatches it from him with a snort.

"Now get out of here." The four glare at Monobear until he wordlessly sighs and walks away. Gundam, Nidai, and Owari edge closer to Togami as he opens the folder and pulls out... four Polaroid pictures. The first one displays Tsumiki, Saionji, and Mioda standing in Hope's Peak entry foyer in school uniforms. Gundam's throat tightens up. If he was unsure before, there's no doubt now. He vaguely remembers something like that of the game's events happening, but can't remember the details. The following picture is one of a shattered flower vase. Next is the most jarring. A picture of a blond girl, slumped against a wall in what can only be a music room, judging by the piano in the background. Owari gasps and Nidai grunts angrily. Togami turns the folder upside down and one final photo falls out. Gundam catches it, pulling it back to look at it. His breath catches in his throat. It features a black-haired girl, slumped against a wall. A baseball bat lays next to her, and blood is splattered around the scene. "So its true..." Togami grunts. "It really happened. But who is this... second Kuzuryuu? And who is Satou?"

"There's only one way to figure out one of those dilemmas." Gundan grimaces and gestures towards the stunned gangster, who is still busy staring at the blank screen like something is going to happen with it. Gundam and Togami share a glance, as do Nidai and Owari.

"You two," Togami points at Nidai and Owari. "break this group up. Get Sonia, Hanamura, and Komaeda back to their cabins. Me and Tanaka will deal with... the others." The imposter waits for the pair to nod before approaching the group. Nidai grabs Hanamura and Sonia, hefting them onto his shoulders. This seems to shake them out of their trance. Owari pries Komaeda from the controls and fireman lifts him onto her shoulders. The five head out of the park, leaving Gundam and Togami with Kuzuryuu, Koizumi, Mioda, Tsumiki, and Saionji. Togami crosses his arms. "Alright you lot. Talk."

"..." Nobody says anything. Togami's eye twitches angrily. Gundam snorts.

"You're not doing it right, grandiose one. They are afraid, fearful, and you are pushing them into a corner. You must coax it out of them, gently, carefully. Watch me, admire my skill, and act similarly." The animal breeder lets his instincts take over for a moment. They are just like scared animals. He will handle this. Carefully. He does not want to scare them. "Here... Come here..." He starts with Saionji. Gundam sets his posture languidly, showing no hostility, and lowers his voice. He slowly extends his arms, and gently pulls her close. Gundam lightly runs his hands through her hair. He feels the dancer loosen out, slumping in his arms. "Yes... There we go... Shh... Shh..." Just like a scared animal. The animal breeder sits her on the ground and removes San-D. He places the hamster onto Saionji's shoulder, letting the god do her immaculate calming ritual. With a nod, Gundam moves to Mioda, the next closest. This is somewhat more difficult. To help calm down something scared, it helps to know it, what it likes, what makes it comfortable. An idea hits him. Gundam gingerly pushes the girl down onto her knees, going down on his a moment later. Facing her, the animal breeder begins to tap out a beat on his thighs. He smiles as the light music club member begins to do the same. "Good... good..." Their tempo gets more advanced, until finally the musician smiles back at him. Gundam motions toward Togami, and Mioda grins wider, getting up and skipping over to the imposter. He wasn't paying attention until the last second, Mioda practically jumping into his arms.

"Hn! Mioda!" Togami turns and glares at Gundam. "Tanaka!"

"Quiet. I am _working_." Gundam moves to Tsumiki next. He just wraps the girl in a hug and she breaks out of her daze, crying into his shoulder. Gundam quietly shushes her until the sobs turn into sniffles. With a nod, Gundam moves to his final target. He slowly shrugs off his jacket and drapes it over Koizumi's shoulders. He stands behind her, hands gently rubbing her shoulders, as his whispers to her. "Are you alright?..."

"Don't... touch me..." Koizumi whispers back to him, making no effort to remove his hands. Gundam sighs. She's a smart girl. She's probably already figured it out, even without the pictures. "You... That game..."

"I know." Gundam separates himself from her, backing up to stand by Togami. He notices that the imposter has his hand on Kuzuryuu's shoulder, preventing him from getting away. Mioda clings to his neck, hanging onto his back like a baby koala. The musician nuzzles Togami's face happily.

"Alright. Now that you've calmed down a bit, how about we talk the game?" Togami stares down the others, glancing over at Mioda every once in a while. "Well?"

"...What do want us to say?" Koizumi clenches her fists. "That _we_ know what's going on? Because we don't. I don't know anything about it!" The photographer raises her voice, rage evident in her eyes. "You think that I know what's going on?!"

"Yes. I do. Because I'm assuming _you_ took these pictures." Togami holds out the manila folder.

"Pictures?" Koizumi's voice goes small and quiet. Afraid. She grabs it and opens the folder, Tsumiki and Saionji moving close to her to check them out as well. There's a collective gasp as they look over the pictures one by one. "No... No way..."

"Th-th-they were real? The g-g-game events were real?" Tsumiki begins to blubber again, scrubbing at her face with her bandaged arm. "S-so those girls a-actually d-d-died?"

"Apparently." Togami sighs. "None of you know anything? At all?"

"No sir, Byakuya-chan. Ibuki knows nothing." Mioda sighs into his ear, making the imposter grunt angrily.

"What about you? Togami stares down at Saionji, the girl still brokenly gazing at the pictures.

"No... I don't know anything..." The dancer hugs herself. Togami glares at her accusingly, then sighs.

"Well then what about _you_?" The imposter turns to the gangster trapped in his iron grip.

"Fuck you. What makes you think I'd know anything 'bout it?" Kuzuryuu hocks a wad of snot onto Togami's shoe. "I don't even know who that girl who died is."

"Does this picture change your mind?" Togami snatches the picture of the dead blonde girl out of Koizumi's hands and holds it out so the gangster can see it. The instant Kuzuryuu's eyes land on the picture, Gundam can see a change in his demeanor. He no longer looks stunned or confused. Just... normal. Uncomfortably normal.

"Eh? No. Why, should it?" Kuzuryuu yanks himself out of Togami's grip, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm tired of this interrogation. If you need something actually useful out of me, then tough luck dick head, because I'm done with you." With that, the gangster stomps off, leaving an uncomfortable silence to settle down onto those still in the park.

"...I believe we are finished jumping through hoops with you, grandiose one." Gundam stoops down, scooping up Saionji. The dancer wraps her arms around his neck. Gundam catches a glimpse of San-D emerging from Saionji's kimono, scampering off into his scarf. "I am leaving."

"Now hold on Tanaka." Togami grunts at him, but Gundam just scoffs. "We're not done here."

"We are." The animal breeder motions with his head and begins walking away. Tsumiki trots after him and, after a moment, Koizumi follows as well. They walk back to the hotel in silence. Gundam drops Tsumiki and Koizumi off at their cottages, then heads back towards his own with Saionji still in his arms. He finds Komaeda leaning against the wall of his cottage, staring up at the stars. Gundam must have missed the nighttime announcement.

"Tanaka-kun." "Komaeda." They address each other with a nod. Gundam places the dancer into Komaeda's arms, and opens his door. They head into the house and Gundam shuts and locks the door. The two boys sit on the bed, and Komaeda hands the girl back to Gundam. He wraps Saionji in a gentle hug and slowly rocks her.

"Saionji. Tell me about it. The event with the dead girls." They sit in silence, waiting for her to respond. Gundam lays his chin on her head, whispering quietly to her. He gently runs his fingers through her twin tails. "Please."

"It... was Kuzuryuu's sister." Saionji says quietly. "The first one."

"Kuzuryuu-kun has... er, had a sister?" Komaeda asks, kicking off his shoes. Gundam feels a ruffling against his neck and Komaeda suddenly notices the four hamsters on his lap, picking them up and coddling them.

"Yeah. I didn't... Satou. I didn't think she would..." Saionji sighs tiredly.

"Shh... Your task is finished... Thank you." Gundam, somewhat hesitantly, lays a gentle kiss against the top of Saionji's head. The dancer, despite herself, giggles. The trio lay on the bed and within minutes, the other two are asleep. Gundam finds himself admiring the ceiling. His thoughts drift to Kuzuryuu and his reaction to the picture. The animal breeder's mind slowly fades into unconsciousness as his thoughts begin to wander.


	18. Act 2: Curry Rice and Smoky Air

Gundam groans as he wakes up. He glances around in confusion, his dreams still floating around in his head. Did he... dream about the game? The animal breeder shakes his head. Komaeda sits at Gundam's desk, fiddling around with something. Gundam sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Sunlight filters in through the blinds of his window.

"What time is it?" He yawns, stretching out his arms and legs. "Where is Saionji?" Komaeda turns to him, smiling.

"She left a little while ago. And it's morning. It's about..." They both glance at the clock on the wall. "Eight."

"I missed the morning announcement." Gundam states the obvious, slowly standing up and stalking over to where Komaeda is. He catches sight of something dart into the boy's clothes. Gundam narrows his eyes. "And what are you doing?"

"Oh uh... sorry." Komaeda grins guiltily, holding out his arm. The Four Dark Gods of Destruction scamper out of Komaeda's jacket, settling onto his arm with a happy chorus of squeaks. Gundam rolls his eyes, taking the hamsters from the white-haired boy and letting them settle into his scarf. "By the way, Tanaka-kun, where's your jacket?"

"My jacket?" Gundam glances around the room. Where _is_ his jacket? He racks his tired brain for anything about the article of clothing. "I... don't know."

"Hmm..." Komaeda thinks for a moment, then shrugs. "Ah, oh well. I'm sure we'll find it. There aren't that many places it could be, right?"

"True." The animal breeder nods and heads over to his door. He opens it up and lets a humid wave of tropical air wash over him. Good gods, it's hot. "Ugh. The air is bloated with heat today. This does not bode well." Komaeda chuckles from behind him.

"Oh it's not _that _bad." The luckster shrugs off his jacket anyway, tossing the garment back into Gundam's cabin. They stand on the boardwalk for a few moments, getting used to the heat, before Gundam locks his door and they head off to the restaurant. "Maybe we could swim in the pool today. Or go to the ocean. It's been quite a few days since we've gone in the water."

"I don't swim." Gundam huffs and strolls towards the hotel, Komaeda trailing behind.

"You mean you can't swim." Komaeda snickers.

"And _you_ cannot shut up, it seems." The animal breeder glares at him, making the luckster laugh.

"Oh come on, Tanaka, don't take it so seriously. It was a joke." The white-haired boy laughs, placing a hand on Gundam's shoulder. The animal breeder snorts at Komaeda. "Tanaka." Gundam glances at him. Komaeda has a dopey grin on his face. "I'll race you." The luckster immediately takes off in a sprint. Gundam looks startled for a moment before grinning and running after him. He rounds the corner, neck and neck with Komaeda, swerving around the pool. They dash through the rather luckily opened door to the hotel lobby and immediately knock into Togami. The imposter glares at them, a tray of food in his hand. Gundam takes a step back and notices the look in the imposter's eyes. Togami wants him to do something. They stare at each other in silence before Gundam grunts at him.

"Oh... Hello Togami-kun. Is there uh... something you need from us?" Komaeda tilts his head, a guilty smile on his face.

"I do now. You two are feeding Hinata. Take this to the main hall of the lodge." Togami roughly shoves the tray into the animal breeder's hands. It holds a carton of milk, half an orange, and a piece of toast.

"...What? Us?" Gundam stares in disbelief at the food.

"I said so, didn't I?" Togami crosses his arms. Gundam holds the tray back out to him.

"No. I refuse. You have no reason to make me do it."

"Tanaka-kun, don't-" Komaeda attempts to calm Gundam down, but Togami cuts him off.

"Yes I do. I'm the leader, which means I can tell you what to do. Besides, Kuzuryuu isn't here, Nidai fed him yesterday and nobody else wants to do it. And you're here right now." Togami stares them down. Gundam glares back at him. "I'm not letting you do anything until he gets fed. That includes your play date with Sonia. Are you really going to let her down because you wouldn't go do something as simple as feeding someone?" Togami's plan to guilt-trip Gundam works after a moment of consideration. The animal breeder grumbles.

"You sicken me. You think your psychological ploys will work on a mighty mind such as I? Hah. I laugh in your face. I am doing this because I feel sorry for you." Gundam turns around, Togami snorting behind him. Komaeda shrugs at Togami and turns to follow Gundam, the two of them heading over to the lodge. Gundam nudges the wounded door open, its doorknob dangling uselessly in its socket, and heads into the lodge. It's strange being back in here. Komaeda walks silently beside him, probably thinking the same thing. The pair head to the main hall, Komaeda slowly turning the knob and pushing the door open. Gundam finds himself looking at one of the strangest things he's ever seen. Hinata hangs, suspended, by one of the ceiling beams. A chain, some rope, and what appears to be duct tape are all wrapped around him, the chain being the thing holding him up. The boy rests about half a foot off the ground. The strangest thing about the scene, however, is the pile of pillows and blankets on the floor under Hinata. He cracks an eye open, a thankfully green eye, and stares down the two boys in annoyance.

"Oh man, food. And here I thought I wasn't going to be fed anymore. Whoopee, somebody get me some champagne, let's have another party." Gundam and Komaeda glance at each other.

"Silence, fool. Your jokes are vile and we care not for them." Gundam walks up to Hinata and glares at him. The boy just rolls his eyes.

"Sorry, sorry. I thought that waking up suspended from a ceiling with a headache that feels like I've been punched in the skull multiple times and for no damn reason entitled me to a little bit of complaining. Jeez. I guess I shouldn't tell you how I can't feel my arms anymore." Hinata glares at Gundam. "Just give me my food." Gundam snorts and holds out the orange to him. Hinata laughs angrily and Komaeda chuckles. "Sorry, all mighty overlord, your humble servant can't use his hands. You'll have to feed me."

"Hmph. Maybe I shouldn't. Your insolence insults me." Gundam pulls his hand, and the orange, back towards him.

"Fine. But when you get charged for _my_ murder because_ you_ let me starve to death, don't blame it on me." Hinata just stares at Gundam, eyes half lidded in irritation. Komaeda sighs and takes the orange from Gundam.

"I'll do it. Open up, Hinata-kun." Komaeda smiles, peeling off a section of the orange and putting it in Hinata's mouth. The boy chews thoughtfully, nodding at Komaeda and opening his mouth for another piece. The two proceed that way until the orange is done, then Komaeda opens the carton and carefully pours some milk into Hinata's mouth. Gundam rolls his eyes. Komaeda's being too soft. Although there's almost a... loving sort of way to his motions, like a parent feeding its child. Gundam wouldn't have noticed it if he hadn't been familiar in such actions. Soon enough, the milk and toast are gone, leaving Gundam holding an empty tray.

"Well that's that then. I'll be uh... hangin' out here if you guys need me. Which I seriously doubt you will, all things considered." Hinata snarks, then tilts his head forward and closes his eyes.

"..." Gundam and Komaeda glance at each other, shooting each other a look. "What... are you doing?" Komaeda asks.

"Eh?" Hinata looks up at them, opening his eyes again. "I'm trying to sleep. It's not like I've got much else to do. Being suspended from the ceiling and all. You can only count the cracks on the back of the door for so long. There are seven hundred forty-nine, last time I checked, just in case you were wondering." Hinata rolls his eyes and slumps back down again. "Now if you'll excuse me." Gundam looks at Hinata in annoyance, then shrugs in defeat and turns around. Komaeda hesitates, then follows him out a moment later. They wait until they're out of the lodge, next to the pool, to begin talking again.

"...I feel kind of bad for Hinata-kun..." Komaeda crosses his arms and sighs.

"Perhaps I would as well, were he not so boorish about it." Gundam snorts.

"Maybe, but I think it's kind of understandable, don't you think? It must be hard having someone like Kamakura... inside of you." Komaeda says, staring off into the sky.

"_That_ I can agree with." Gundam shakes his head and the pair head back into the hotel. Gundam tromps up the stairs to the restaurant, tray in hand. Komaeda follows somewhat less roughly. The animal breeder marches over to Togami, who leans against the wall near the food table with an empty plate in his hands. The others stop their conversations to watch. Gundam drops the tray onto Togami's plate. "Here."

"Oh." Togami raises his eyebrows, annoyance dancing in his eyes. With his free hand, he grabs the tray and bops Gundam on the head with it. "Don't do that again." The animal breeder flushes in anger and embarrassment.

"Wh-! You _dare_ assault the mighty Gundam Tanaka and then proceed to insult him?! Fool, you know not the power you trifle with! I will destroy the very essence of your being with a procedure so vile, hell itself will shudder in fear! You have made a very, very, _very_ large mistake, grandiose one! It nearly compares to you in stature!" Gundam takes a step towards Togami, getting right in the imposter's face. Togami's eyebrow twitches in irritation at Gundam's remark about his size. Komaeda jogs up and grabs Gundam's shoulders, pulling him back.

"Tanaka-kun! C-calm down, please!" Komaeda's grip slips, so he wraps his arms around Gundam's chest and pulls him back again. Gundam strains against the luckster's arms.

"Calm down, Tanaka. Don't act like a child." Togami crosses his arms, placing the tray onto the food table beside him. "You're overreacting. And making a fool of yourself."

"Hng..." Gundam clenches his fists, finally relaxing slightly and slumping back. Komaeda sighs in relief and releases Gundam from his bear hug. "...Consider yourself _marked,_ grandiose one. I have now assigned the Evil Eye of the Demon to watch over you. Any further transgressions will be met with force. Gods do not forgive easily, fool." Sneering, Gundam finally turns away from Togami, grabbing a plate with some food, and plonks himself down in his normal seat next to Sonia. The princess ignores Gundam's angry pouting and excitedly grabs his shoulder.

"Surely you are ready for later, Tanaka-san?" Her eyes sparkle, and Gundam looks at her in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" He gazes at her, surprised when she frowns.

"Did you already forget? You promised me that we would make curry rice together." Sonia looks up at him with those puppy dog eyes again. "...You will make curry rice with me, right?"

"..." Gundam stares back down at the princess. "I..." How is he supposed to say no to that face? "I suppose I must. It would be considered a mortal sin to dishonor a promise. And I _did_ promise..." His lips tug up into a grin as Sonia's eyes shine happily.

"Oh boy!" The princess shakes his shoulder in excitement. "We will gather our ingredients and mix them up and put it in the oven and then we'll have some delicious curry rice!" Gundam, along with Komaeda and Hanamura, glance at her strangely.

"Uh... Sonia-san." Komaeda cocks his head, face contorted in humor and slight disbelief. "Have you um... ever cooked? Anything?"

"No." Sonia smiles obliviously. "But I know the basics! I watched my servants make a cake once! They mixed everything together in a bowl, poured it into a different bowl made of metal, although that bowl was more square than... bowl. Then they put the square, metal bowl into an oven and spun this dial and when they took it out..." She clenches her fists, leaning forward for suspense. "It was a cake!"

"Um..." Hanamura scratches the back of his head. "Not everything is made like a cake is, Sonia-san."

"..." The smile drops from Sonia's face, and she tilts her head and stares at the three boys in confusion. "Really?" The princess puts a finger to her lips, glancing up at the ceiling. She thinks for a few minutes before a broad grin grows on her face, full of excitement and awe. "Really?! That's so... so... cool! Hella cool! I didn't know that! Cooking things makes so much more sense now!" She gives Gundam's shoulder an excited squeeze. The animal breeder notes that she is _extremely_ touchy-feely. He carefully pries her hand off of his bruised shoulder (Holy hell she has a strong grip) and grunts.

"Well perhaps it would be a good idea to make this curry rice around dinner. That would give up ample time to prepare, would it not?" Gundam crosses his arms.

"Ah, good idea Tanaka-kun." Komaeda smiles. "It would make it easier to gather people, and they wouldn't be all tired from it being morning or not hungry or anything."

"Oh ho ho, and leave the kitchen preparation to me!" Hanamura chuckles. "Unless of course, you'd like to spend a little one-on-one time with me in the kitchen, Sonia-san. I'm sure I could teach you some techniques for a _special_ kind of cooking." He chuckles again, mouth pulled up in a perverted smile. Gundam and Komaeda glare at him.

"Oh, that sounds lovely!" Sonia cheers.

"No!" Both Gundam and Komaeda shout. The animal breeder directs a furious glare at Hanamura while the luckster chuckles nervously and waves his hands around. "No, it doesn't!" Komaeda shakes his head. "I think it would be best to let Hanamura prepare the kitchen by _himself_."

"Aww, ruining my fun, Komaeda-kun. If you wanted to spend a little time with me alone, all you had to do was ask." Hanamura smiles at him, and Komaeda leans back, slightly repulsed.

"Um... no. No thanks. No." Komaeda shakes his head, glancing around for a way out of the situation he was just put in. The luckster finds it in Gundam, who lightly pounds a fist against the table.

"Enough, perverse one. Your deviant words are so dirty that they cloud the air with a debauched miasma thick enough to be seen by those not even existing on this plane. Cease your talking, lest I need to strike your tongue into oblivion." The animal breeder narrows his eyes at the cook, who tensely runs his fingers through his pompadour.

"A-ah... Of course Tanaka-kun..." Hanamura glances at the others before sighing.

"Um... so when should we begin?" Sonia turns towards Komaeda, leaning closer to him.

"Huh? Oh um... I don't really care. You can start whenever, I suppose. Just tell me when it's made, I'd love to taste it." The white-haired boys smiles, his eyes falling closed in an uncertain gesture, but Sonia just frowns.

"Are you implying that you are not going to help us?" Komaeda's eyes fly open, surprised.

"Um... yes? I mean, it's not like I'd be that much of a help. I'm not so good at cooking. Or anything really, but uh-"

"Enough then!" Sonia silences him by forcefully pressing a finger to his mouth. Komaeda's cheeks lightly flare red in surprise, shutting up. "I will not have any of this! You are a perfectly skilled human being! And you will come help us cook curry rice, is that clear?" The boys, shocked by Sonia's forcefulness, stare at her. Komaeda mutely nods. Sonia's frown curves up into a pleasant smile. "Good! I'm sure it will help us become closer friends, no?"

"Y-yeah..." Komaeda rubs the back of his head, still somewhat shocked. Gundam glances around. Most of the students had filtered out of the restaurant already. Only Owari remains, stuffing the last of her food into her mouth.

"Here is the plan!" Sonia gets the boys', and Owari's, attention. "Hanamura-san will prepare the kitchen while me and Komaeda-san collect invitations." She jumps out of her seat and plants her fists on her hips. "Tanaka-san! You will go with Owari-san and get curry rice ingredients from the supermarket store!" Gundam scrunches up his face, and Owari glances over at Sonia, a small sausage hanging out of her mouth.

"Eh?" The gymnast messily slurps up the piece of meat. "Why me?"

"Because you want curry rice, do you not?" Sonia purses her lips.

"Well yeah..." Owari stares down at her plate before grinning and standing up. "Okay! Let's go!" Sonia cheers and grabs Komaeda's wrist, hauling him out of the restaurant. Hanamura laughs lightly and heads into the kitchen. Gundam glances at Owari, who jumps over her table and lands a foot in front of Gundam.

"Hrk!" Gundam takes a half step back in surprise. "Watch it, lithe one." Owari just laughs at him, grabbing his scarf and yanking it. Gundam's vision clouds over angrily, and he raises a fist at her. "You fool! Have I not told you this before?! You have truly angered those beyond your mortal scope! I will destroy you!"

"Gotta catch me first, scarf boy!" Owari lets out an excited cackle, running over and sliding down the banister. Gundam sprints after her.

"Get back here!"

* * *

Gundam loosely holds Owari's collar, their noses almost touching. A scowl adorns his face, a cocky grin settles on her's. They stand in front of the Rocketpunch Market, the gymnast bent backwards as Gundam glowers over her, his fist raised up aggressively. She stays casually grinning at him, as though she knows he's not going to hit her. He's really close though. He is _this_ close.

"You're not going to hit me. Koizumi says you don't hit girls." Owari says, words practically dripping snark.

"Perhaps I shall make an exception just for you." Gundam clenches his fist so hard that his knuckles turn white. "Maybe then you will cease your outlandish actions."

"I'd like to see you try." Owari's grin twitches, and Gundam catches the sight of her balling up her hands out of the corner of his eye. The animal breeder growls angrily. Just as he's about to let his feeling get the better of him, a scoff catches his attention.

"Feh. Does Koizumi know you're cheating on her, animal boy?" Both Gundam and Owari turn to find Kuzuryuu leaning against the wall of the supermarket, a plastic bag full of something slung over his shoulder. His lips curl up into an angry sneer. "Ah, who cares? She's probably into that stuff anyway. Not that it matters."

"You're really annoying." Owari straightens up, making Gundam lean back as well. The two of them shoot a glare at the gangster.

"Yeah, and you're really stupid. And animal boy over here is really ugly. Now that we're done mentioning the obvious things, how's about you get out of my way?" Kuzuryuu rolls his eyes at them, getting up and starting to walk away. Gundam grabs his jacket collar, yanking him back. Kuzuryuu stumbles and nearly drops his bag. "The hell are you doing?!"

"What's in the bag, obscene one?" Gundam crosses his arms, staring the gangster down. Owari mimics his pose, apparently trying to look intimidating.

"...Food." Kuzuryuu glares at them. "I'm done eating with you shit heads. I eat what I want, when I want. And you or the fatso or that stupid redheaded bitch or that dumb blonde bimbo can't stop me." Kuzuryuu finishes with a snort. Gundam feels anger bubbling in his chest, but Owari shrugs and speaks up before he can say anything.

"Makes sense." Gundam turns to her in disbelief, while Kuzuryuu snickers.

"Ha! Maybe you're not so stupid after all!" He takes a moment to consider, then laughs quietly. "Ah, who am I kidding?" The gangster stomps off, leaving Gundam and Owari alone in the parking lot.

"What are you going on _agreeing_ with him for?! You are only encouraging him!" Gundam smacks Owari on the shoulder.

"Hey! I'm just saying that eating is important business. God." Owari hits him back, and their fight devolves into them pushing each other around until their shoves become playful and Gundam ends up laughing with her. They stroll into the supermarket, grabbing bagfuls of curry powder, vegetables, and meat; enough to feed all of the kids on the island for a few days. Assuming everyone eats at a normal pace. Gundam hefts three bags of said foods onto each arm, while Owari easily stacks three bags of rice on top of each other and grabs the entire stack.

"Let us advance. The dinner of the future depends on it!" Gundam proclaims happily, a dorky smile on his face. Owari cheers.

"Yeah! Let's go!" They jog back to the restaurant as fast as they can with the food in their arms.

* * *

"Excellent! This is perfect! Like... wow!" Sonia claps her hands like a little kid, eyes sparkling excitedly as they dart quickly between all the ingredients. Behind her stand Hanamura, Nidai, Gundam, Komaeda, Saionji, Mioda, and Tsumiki. They were all recruited to help make dinner for everyone. Togami, Kuzuryuu, and Koizumi were all unable to be found. Hinata, well, he was unavailable, and Owari said she was going for a run so she could get her appetite up. "First things first! We should eat a good lunch, so we can have lots of energy for cooking dinner, no?" She turns around, grinning excitedly at her posse.

"B-but curry rice doesn't take that long to make, r-right?" Tsumiki nervously asks. "S-so what if we're not hungry by the time we're done?..." Sonia's face falls.

"Oh dear. I didn't think of that..." Sonia taps her chin.

"Ooh, ooh, Ibuki has an idea!" Mioda waves a hand around in the air, pointing at herself with the other hand. "Maybe we should just make it! And eat it anyway!"

"Hoo boy, big sis Mioda, you sure are good at this!" Saionji laughs. "Do you mind if I put some of my left over curry rice in your empty head?"

"Sure thing, Hiyoko-chan!" Mioda grins, pulling at her ears like she's trying to pull them off. Saionji snickers, jumping onto the light music club member's back and tugging on her hair. Komaeda quickly scurries over, unlatching Saionji's grip from Mioda's hair. Gundam grabs the girl under her arms and pulls her off. Saionji shoots a pout at Gundam, who replies with a snort.

"I think Saionji-san was just joking..." Komaeda chuckles, carefully grabbing Mioda's wrists and stopping her from trying to rip her ears off.

"Eh? Gasp!" Mioda gasps, prying her hands out of Komaeda's grasp and grabbing onto her cheeks. "So Ibuki's head really isn't empty?! She knew it!"

"Hmph. It might as well be." Gundam sets down the dancer, drawing a giggle from her. Nidai rolls his eyes. Hanamura chuckles quietly.

"Okay! New plan!" Sonia waves her hand around, catching everyone's attention. "We will eat lunch, wait an hour or two, and _then_ we will make curry rice! Are we in agreement now?" The other students glance around at each other before shrugging and mumbling their agreement.

"Ah... Sonia." Nidai catches her attention. "Me and Tanaka have an appointment to attend to before we will be able to join you in your endeavors."

"Oh. Right." Gundam crosses his arms, turning to Sonia, who cocks her head in confusion. "Me and the spirited one have planned a little spar to hone our abilities. Nothing more."

"Oh." Sonia frowns. "Okay." Nidai and Gundam glance at each other, the coach panicked and the animal breeder concerned.

"I-I-I mean, if you would rather us not, we could schedule the spar for another day!" Nidai holds his hands up pleadingly, sweat running down his face. Gundam just rolls his eyes. He walks up to Sonia, getting down on a knee in front of her, and takes one of her hands into both of his.

"Dearest Sonia, my valiant princess... It would please one such as I greatly for you to permit this activity between me and the spirited one." Gundam lays a gentle kiss on the back of Sonia's hand, who lets out a high-pitched giggle and covers her mouth with her free hand.

"Oh! Well when you put it that way..." Sonia tries to hide the gentle dusting of red on her cheeks. "I don't see how I could refuse."

"Thank you." Gundam stands up with a smile. In the background he hears Komaeda's chuckle and Saionji's scoff.

"If only _I_ was able to kiss such a pretty girl." Hanamura sighs. Komaeda shoots him a warning glance. Tsumiki timidly raises a hand.

"Wh-what are we going to eat for lunch?" The group turns to the enormous fridge in the kitchen, humming away quietly.

"Whatever we can find, I suppose." Sonia shrugs, and they all head over to the fridge, opening it up. Gundam is surprised to see a wide variety of things to eat, from simple looking sandwiches to intricate bowls of what looks like some sort of ramen. Everybody grabs a different type of food and heads into the restaurant. Gundam notes that they all sit at the same table, happily conversing. Gundam himself sits in between Sonia and a pouting Saionji. He notices the dancer's refusal to talk to him halfway through the meal and leans down, whispering into her ear.

"What's wrong?" He raises an eyebrow, making her purse her lips and glare at him.

"You like her more than me." Saionji admits eventually, jealousy dripping from her voice. Gundam snorts.

"How can I like someone more than my favorite girl in the world?" The animal breeder smirks at Saionji sputters at him.

"Sh-shut up." Saionji crosses her arms, causing Komaeda, who's on the other side of her, to glance over at them. Gundam knows he's gotten through to her, the tone of her voice back to normal. Nidai's boisterous laugh draws everyone's attention. He raises a glass full of lemonade into the air.

"Alright alright! I propose a toast! To friendship!" He grins wildly as some of the others, namely Sonia and Komaeda, raise their drinks as well. Gundam chuckles, lifting his glass of water.

"Yes, I agree. To our future!" Gundam laughs, drawing one from Nidai, Komaeda, and Hanamura. A few of the others chuckle, and everyone else raises up their cups or forks with noodles or vegetables speared on them. The group as a whole lets out a cheer.

"To our friendship!" The cheer is sealed in their minds by the sound of tinkling glass from their Student IDs. Gundam slams back the rest of his drink, a happy smile on his face.

* * *

Gundam and Nidai stroll across the bridge to the central island, staring at the setting sun. Nidai had proposed that they spar in Jabberwock Park, which was fairly open despite the 'motive' there, and Gundam had let him choose, because he really didn't care. Gundam's hands rest in his pockets. He had given the Four Dark Gods of Destruction to Komaeda and Saionji so they wouldn't risk getting hurt.

"Gyahahaha!" Nidai bellows, eyes squeezed shut in humor. Gundam closes his eyes as well, laughing hard enough to bring a few tears to his eyes. He and Nidai had been exchanging jokes for the past ten minutes as they walked. Gundam readies another one, but something catches his attention.

"Stop for a moment. Do you hear that?" Gundam stops them, holding his arm against Nidai's chest. The coach stops laughing, glancing around with Gundam.

"...Yeah." Nidai nods. Gundam closes his eyes again, focusing on the sound. It sounds like... rapid footsteps. "Tanaka." Gundam opens his eyes, glancing at the coach. Nidai motions toward the area the sound is coming from. They both turn, and are nearly barreled into by Koizumi. The photographer shoves Gundam to the side, tromping off down the bridge. The pair turn to each other in confusion. "She came from..." They turn towards the direction Koizumi came from. Jabberwock Park. A gentle column of smoke rises from the park. Gundam and Nidai stare at each other in panic.

"I will go after the photographer. You see what that smoke is!" Gundam feels his voice rising to a yell. Nidai just nods, fear dancing in his eyes, and takes off towards Jabberwock Park. Gundam spins around and chases after Koizumi. He manages to catch up to her, only because her run had turned into a stumble. Gundam grabs her just before she topples to the ground. She spins around, and Gundam gasps in surprise. Horror and despair flash in her eyes.

"Let me go, let me go!" Koizumi desperately tries to pull herself out of Gundam's grasp. The animal breeder keeps his firm grip on her shoulders. "It wasn't me!"

"What are you talking about?" Gundam stares straight into her eyes. "Koizumi, what are you talking about?" Koizumi closes her eyes, tears forming at their edges. She shakes her head, pushing Gundam away.

"I said let me go!" Koizumi stomps on Gundam's foot. The animal breeder yelps, loosening his grip. The photographer takes the chance, pulling herself out of Gundam's grip. She sprints down the bridge to the first island. Gundam stares, dumbfounded. What... Another tromping sound catches his attention, along with a screaming. Nidai rounds the corner, screaming. He grabs Gundam's biceps and picks him up. Nidai's face is blue, scared.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"

"Wh- Nidai!" Gundam flails around. Nidai drops him to the ground and sprints back towards Jabberwock Park. Gundam runs after him. The smoke seems thicker and more opaque. And Gundam can see why. His mind goes blank. He found himself staring at the arcade machine, untouched since the day that they played it. Untouched until now. The ugly black smoke pours from the screen, which is shattered, a gaping hole in it. The hole harbors someone's head, blood smeared on the shattered glass and dented plastic. The person's body lies slumped, supported only by the fact that their head is inside the machine. A tiny fire burns on their shirt, only adding to the column of smoke. Their body is laced with forming bruises and shallow cuts. Their toned, tan skin is marred by the brutal wounds. Akane Owari is, without a doubt, dead.

"Ding dong, ding dong! A body has been discovered! After a short period of investigation, we will begin a 'School Trial'!" Monobears voice rings out mockingly over the monitors. Nidai wails, grabbing at his head. Gundam has trouble drawing a breath, which is when he notices something else. A black dress shoe sticking out from behind the arcade machine. Gundam grabs Nidai and hurriedly pulls the coach over towards it. Gundam's worst fears nearly come true, finding Kuzuryuu slumped against the back of the machine. Nidai screams, dropping down onto his knees. He grabs Kuzuryuu's shoulders, shaking him, grief lining his voice.

"K-Kuzuryuu!" Nidai wails. Gundam stares blankly at the gangster. His body is just as battered as Owari's, and his suit is laced with rips and tears. One of his hands is bleeding a lot. Relief floods through Gundam as Kuzuryuu coughs, blood splattering Nidai's shirt. "Oh thank god!" Nidai gasps as Kuzuryuu continues to cough, the rattles from his chest sounding painful.

"Let... go of me..." Kuzuryuu manages, blood running down the side of his mouth. "We've got bigger damn problems." The gangster's eyes cloud over in pain and slip shut.

"O-oh my god!" Nidai picks up Kuzuryuu, cradling him carefully. Gundam nods mutely, and they take off for the first island and Tsumiki, Kuzuryuu's life hanging by a thread.


	19. Act 2: Akane Owari's Last Brawl

Gundam runs on pure adrenaline. He and Nidai sprint back to the hotel. When they get to the cottages, they nearly smash into the rest of the group, as well as Togami. The imposter tuns to the pair, startled. Tsumiki squeaks, running up to Nidai and prodding at Kuzuryuu. The gangster weakly coughs, a small trickle of blood dripping off of his chin. The others gasp and scream. Togami immediately takes charge, shouting.

"Nidai! Take Tsumiki and bring him to the damn pharmacy! Now!" Togami gestures wildly, and the coach nods. He picks up Tsumiki, slinging her over his shoulder, and sprints off to the second island. Gundam goes to run to the hotel when Togami grabs his shoulder. "No! Take us to the murder scene!" Gundam shakes his head.

"No... Fire... Need water..." Gundam breathlessly points at the central island. Togami and the others turn, and the imposter gasps at the sight of the column of smoke in the sky. He whirls around.

"Komaeda! Hanamura! Mioda! Get some buckets or something and fill them with water! The rest of you, let's go!" The three nod and turn around sprinting back towards the hotel. Gundam leads the rest of the group to Jabberwock Park. Their feet thunder against the ground, and Gundam uses the sound to keep him tethered to sanity. He can't lose his head. He skids to a stop with a gasp when he gets to the park. Someone bumps into him and they scream into his ear. The arcade machine, spurred on by the slight fuel of Owari's shirt, has been nearly engulfed in flames. The gymnast's corpse is partially on fire as well. Gundam reacts, along with Togami, and the two run forward, grabbing Owari and pulling her out of the arcade machine. Her body slumps in their grasp, and her hair catches fire, filling the air with a disgusting smell. Togami takes off his jacket, quickly smothering the flames with it. The rest of the students stare hopelessly at the inferno that used to be the arcade machine. It melts and slumps as the fire consumes it. Komaeda and Mioda scamper up, but find themselves rather late, buckets dangling loosely in their grasps. Mioda takes a few shaky steps and tosses her half-bucketful of water onto the fireball, which causes it to die down slightly. Komaeda puts his bucket down, dips his index finger and thumb in the water, and pinches out a small fire on what remains of Owari's collar. Hanamura jogs up, out of breath and covered in water. He slows to a stop upon seeing the smoldering arcade machine.

"What the hell happened here, Tanaka?" Togami turns to Gundam. With his adrenaline rush winding down, Gundam finds himself with a slight headache which is worsened by Togami's rough voice.

"What makes you think _I_ know?" Gundam crosses his arms. "I just found the scene like this."

"Well then why don't you tell me about it." Sarcasm and irritation drip from Togami's words. Gundam supposes it's understandable, the imposter had yet again failed to prevent a murder. The animal breeder snorts.

"Fine. The spirited one and I arrived on the island perhaps... five minutes before the announcement." It somewhat hurts him to talk about the announcement, one that marked the death of one he was beginning to consider a friend, so casually. But he has to keep his cool, even if it means handling something like this a lot less gently than he would have preferred. Somebody has to. "We encountered Koizumi on the bridge. We then split up, Nidai heading to the park and your's truly catching up to the righteous one. She seemed... fearful of something..."

"Hold on." Togami stops him. "You saw Koizumi?"

"Yes. I believe I did just say that." Gundam crosses his arms. "She came from the park. As I was saying-" Togami cuts him off.

"Hold on. Stop. You do realize we've basically cornered our culprit." Togami's lips pull themselves into a reluctant frown. "She's the only one unaccounted for at the murder time... Or at all..."

"Are you sure about that, Togami-kun?" Monobear snickers. The imposter and the animal breeder spin to look at him. Gundam finds himself glaring.

"What do you wish from us, monochrome demon?" Gundam snorts.

"Oh nothing, nothing. I just wanted to give you guys something for someone's job well done." A demented snicker comes from the bear as he holds out a familiar looking device. Gundam has to dig through his thoughts for a moment before he remembers. A Monobear File. Togami snatches the device from Monobear's paws. "Well, I'll be off! Don't dwindle, your lives depend on it! Upupupu..." Monobear scampers off.

"Now perhaps you will let me _finish_, grandiose one." Gundam stares Togami down, the imposter simply nodding for him to continue. "Good. As I was saying, after the righteous one escaped from me, Nidai approached, fear in his eyes. We ran to the park to find-" He chokes up a bit here. Even _he,_ a mighty and divine being, has standards when it comes to things like these. "...To find Owari. Kuzuryuu was slumped behind the machine, alive. Barely. He passed out moments after we arrived. That is all."

"Hmm..." Togami sighs and shakes his head. "Whatever. Let's get investigating people." The group, somewhat reluctantly, disperses through the park, a few of them ditching the place all together. Togami calls Komaeda over. Gundam plods over as well, much to Togami's chagrin. "You did the evidence thing last time, right Komaeda?" The luckster just nods. "Good. You're doing it again. Now come here. We're reading this Monobear file together." Komaeda sighs.

"Whatever you say, Togami-kun." The imposter nods, satisfied with his response. Komaeda edges close, pulling out his Student ID, and Gundam takes up the other side. The three stare down at the Monobear File as it lights up. It shows a picture of Owari with her head jammed into the machine. Next to it is a silhouette of her body. Multiple blood red splotches litter the shape, and little lightning bolts surround her head. Togami reads the words on the bottom out loud.

"The victim is Akane Owari. The time of death was around six-thirty in the afternoon." Togami stops for a moment, glancing at his watch. "Hold on. That was half an hour ago!" He shoots glares at Komaeda and Gundam. The luckster shrugs. Gundam snorts. "Ugh..." Togami shakes his head and continues reading. "The body was found in Jabberwock Park. Cause of death was electrocution, preceded by a weakening of the head by multiple blows, likely with a fist or similarly shaped object. The body is covered in welts, bruises, cuts, and puncture wounds. There appear to be traces of two strong anesthetics in the bloodstream, crudely administered multiple times with a needle-like object into various areas on the body." The imposter stops, letting the words sink in.

"Wow. That's... brutal." Komaeda cringes, typing a few things out onto the Student ID. Gundam pulls his out and glances at them when they come up in the Evidence tab. '_Time of Death: Owari died an hour before her body was discovered._' '_Wounds: The wounds on Owari's body suggest that she was in a fight before she died._' '_Anesthesia: Two kinds of anesthetic were found in Owari's body upon discovery of her body. They were applied multiple times in multiple places with a thin, needle-like object._'

Togami looks over the entries and nods. "Good. Carry on." He shakes his head sadly and plods over to the arcade machine and crosses his arms, staring blankly into the slowly darkening sky.

"...So Tanaka." Komeada turns to the animal breeder, sheepish smile on his face. "Do you want to investigate with me?"

"It is not like I could do anything else." Gundam crosses his arms with a sigh. They sit silently for a while before beginning. As they aimlessly walk through Jabberwock Park, a rustling captures their attention. They turn to see a happy Mioda pop her head out of the surrounding bushes.

"Ooh Nagito-chan! Gundam-chan! C'mere!" She motions them over excitedly. They walk over, Gundam raising an eyebrow as he spots something in the musician's hands. "Lookie at what Ibuki found!" She holds the thing out. Gundam takes a closer look at it. It looks like... a dart gun? An unusually battered dart gun.

"Mioda-san... What is that? Is that a dart gun? Where'd you get that?" Komaeda leans forward to get a better glance at it. Gundam just snatches it out of Mioda's hands. She whines in protest. "Ah... Tanaka-kun..." Gundam ignores them, taking a closer look at it. It looks modified, like someone had crudely swapped the barrels out so that they could fire something bigger out of it. It's also damaged, bent at a strange angle right in the middle. That isn't the most concerning part, however. When Gundam moves his hand, Komaeda gasps and points. The animal breeder raises an eyebrow and glances down at his hand. It's smeared with blood. He jolts in surprise.

"Mioda. Give me your hands." Gundam holds his non-bloodied hand out.

"But-" She starts to protest, but Gundam cuts her off.

"No buts. Now." He grabs Mioda's hands when she sticks them out adn carefully examines them. There's blood on her hands too. "Ha. Look." Gundam points out the blood on her hands to Komaeda. "No doubt. This blood came from the gun."

"Hmm... I suppose that would make sense. But why would there be blood on it?" Komaeda types something out on his ID. Gundam just shrugs, handing the dart gun back to Mioda. She chirps happily and drops back down into the bushes. Gundam leans over to glance at Komaeda's screen as he finishes typing. '_Dart Gun: A modified and damaged toy dart gun found by Mioda in Jabberwock Park. The barrel appears to have been changed, as well as bent from some sort of impact, and there was blood on the handle._'

"Let's continue." Gundam wipes his hand off with a few leaves and continues to walk around. The two of them spend five fruitless minutes searching. Gundam groans in anger, kicking a rock across the park. It skitters into the bushes with a gentle rustle. Komaeda just shakes his head and sighs.

"Um... Komaeda-san? Tanaka-san?" Sonia comes up to the pair. She has something clenched in her fist. "May I um... show you something?" The boys turn to her.

"Oh. Sure, Sonia-san. Go ahead." Komaeda smiles at her. Sonia takes a quick breath and opens her hand, holding it out for the two boys to see. Gundam gingerly picks it up out of her palm. It's a throwing dart. Silver, slim, and rather light. Dried blood coats the tip. Gundam scratches off a bit to make sure it is indeed blood.

"...This is blood. Where did you find this?" Gundam asks the princess. She takes in another breath, deeper this time, and closes her eyes.

"Um... I believe it was... over there." Sonia points to some of the bushes near the slag heap that used to be the arcade machine. "Here's another one." The princess holds out her other hand, which also has a dart in it. Komaeda picks up this one. He looks it over, then holds it out. Gundam puts the one he holds next to it. They're pretty much the same, down to the blood stains coating their tips. Gundam snorts and takes Komaeda's. He holds them out to Sonia.

"My lady, I request that you... hold onto these until the trial. Keep them safe." Gundam watches as Sonia takes the darts back and nods. The animal breeder offers her a comforting smile and takes out his Student ID. It buzzes a moment later, and he checks on the new tab there. '_Throwing Darts: Some throwing darts found near the scene. Their tips are soaked in blood._'

"Hmm... Tanaka-kun. Can you come with me? I want to ask Togami-kun something. And then you." Komaeda taps his chin in thought. Gundam just shrugs.

"Fine." The animal breeder follows Komaeda as he trudges over to the imposter. Togami glances over at the two as they approach.

"What?" The imposter crosses his arms, staring the two down. Komaeda readies his Student ID and takes a breath to steady himself.

"Well... I just wanted to know where you were all day, Togami-kun. As you don't really have an alibi..." Komaeda trails off.

"Hah." Togami scoffs. "You really think I would be a suspect here?"

"Anything is possible, grandiose one. I suggest you answer the question before the Four Dark Go-" Gundam is about to continue when he realizes he doesn't have his hamsters with him. He frantically pats himself down, only for Komaeda to chuckle.

"Here." He holds out his arm, and Jum-P and Maga-G pop out of Komaeda's hood, scampering across his arm and leaping onto Gundam's shoulder. The animal breeder sighs in relief. He forgot he had given them to Komaeda and Saionji. Komaeda nods and turns back to Togami. "So... about your whereabouts..."

"Hmph. If you really must know, I was on the second island, guarding the ruins. I didn't want one of you simpletons to get mowed down by that gun because you were too reckless to heed my warnings." Togami snorts. "If that's all you need, I suggest you go investigate more. We only have a limited amount of time, you know." Komaeda just nods, and Gundam's ID buzzes with a new note. Togami glances at his as well. '_Togami's Testimony: Togami was guarding the ruins on the second island all day._' The imposter rolls his eyes, but doesn't say anything more.

"Come, Komaeda. I believe there is a certain place we need to visit." Gundam motions towards the bridge, and Komaeda nods in response. Just as they start walking away, however, the luckster jumps back in surprise as a crunching sound comes from under his foot. Gundam helps him steady himself and crouches down to see what he stepped on. It's hard to tell now that it's been crushed, but among the broken glass and twisted metal, it kind of looks like a syringe.

"Hmm... _That _is rather suspicious." Komaeda, who is suddenly crouched next to Gundam, says. The animal breeder turns to him and nods. The white-haired boy types something out on his ID, and Gundam checks it a moment later. '_Broken Glass and Metal: An object that was, unfortunately, accidentally broken by Komaeda upon discovery. It's remains appear to resemble a syringe. It was found near the crime scene._' "Welp." He says the word uncertainly. "Lets go then." They both get up and stroll towards the bridge. When they reach the part where the stone pathway becomes wooden bridge, Komaeda stops. Gundam keeps going for a few steps, then turns back to look at him. "Tanaka?"

"What?"

"Tell me what happened here again." Komaeda holds his ID loosely.

"...Here?" Gundam raises an eyebrow.

"With you and Nidai. And Koizumi." Komaeda tilts his head ever so slightly.

"Ah." Gundam crosses his arms and sighs. "Very well. When Nidai and I arrived on the central island, we encountered Koizumi, who had come from the park. I assume. Nidai went to the park and I caught up to Koizumi. She... got away. Then Nidai found me and we went to Jabberwock Park. Then the announcement went off."

"Okay. Thanks." Komaeda smiles at him, then types something out on his ID. Gundam glances at it. '_Tanaka's Testimony: On their way to the central island, Nidai and Tanaka met Koizumi, who was leaving Jabberwock Park. Nidai went to said park first, and Tanaka arrived later._' "Let's head over to the pharmacy." Gundam nods. They break into a jog, moving quickly off to the second island.

* * *

Gundam pushes open the door to the pharmacy, a cool blast of air blowing over him as he enters. It ruffles his hair and makes his eyes water. As he rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands, Komaeda slips into the pharmacy after him. When his eyes are clear, Gundam surveys the scene. Kuzuryuu is on the floor, on top of a blanket. He lies on a pillow, with another blanket covering him. His jacket lays off to the side. He seems more alert, if annoyed that Tsumiki is coddling him, poking and prodding and trying to get him to take a small, white pill. Nidai stands off to the side, arms crossed, and glances at Komaeda and Gundam when they enter.

"Ah. It's you two." Nidai nods at them. "Collecting clues?"

"Of course." Gundam says simply. "I've already told Komaeda all that we know." Nidai just nods again in response. Komaeda, meanwhile, has turned his attention towards a certain nurse dotting on Kuzuryuu. The luckster kneels down next to her, after she finally manages to get Kuzuryuu to take the medicine, and taps her on the shoulder. Tsumiki practically jumps into the air in surprise, letting out a fearful squeak and covering her face.

"Oh! Sorry, Tsumiki-san." Komaeda lays a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to talk to you about something." He reaches down into his jacket pocket, pulling out his Student ID, and turns to Tsumiki with a smile. The nurse sputters at his gaze.

"O-oh. Sure! U-um... I'll try my best to answer your questions! Oh, but you haven't even asked them yet. I-I'm probably stopping you from asking them! Oh, I'm sorry!" Tsumiki starts crying. Kuzuryuu scoffs, rolling onto his side. Gundam rolls his eyes and Nidai snorts. Komaeda laughs nervously.

"Calm down, Tsumiki-san, it's alright." Komaeda squeezes her shoulder reassuringly and moves it up to ruffle her hair. She sniffs pathetically. Komaea chuckles and wipes away one of her tears. "There we go. Now, let me ask you the question." He waits for Tsumiki to nod before asking. "So, you spend a lot of time here in the pharmacy, right Tsumiki-san?"

"Y-yes." The nurse nods. "I like it in here. I-It smells good and I like to read all about the medicine here..." She smiles before adopting a scared look. "Oh! Y-you probably didn't want to hear a-about what I like. I'm sorry!" Her lip quivers, and Komaeda quickly pats her on the back.

"Shh, shh, it's fine. I just wanted to ask if you've noticed anything missing." Komaeda comforts the nurse long enough to get an answer.

"W-well um..." Tsumiki stares off in thought before tearing up. "I-I'm sorry... I-I haven't h-had a chance to look around yet... I'm r-really sorry..." She sniffles, tears already running down her cheeks. Gundam rolls his eyes. Komaeda catches the motion, shooting Gundam a glare, and smiles at Tsumiki.

"I'll watch Kuzuryuu. You go check up on the supplies. Here." Komaeda shows her the anesthesia entry on his ID. "If it helps, you can just check the anesthesia section or whatever." Tsumiki just wipes at her face with a nod and gets up, scuttling over to a certain section of the pharmacy, out of sight. Gundam stalks over to Komaeda. The luckster glances up at him and glares again, unamused. "C'mon Tanaka."

"...Fine. I apologize." They sit in silence for a few moments, the clinking of glass bottles the only sound in the pharmacy. Tsumiki returns after a couple of minutes.

"U-um... well... I-It seems that s-someone has taken two different anesthetics..." Tsumiki takes a deep breath and continues. "O-One was a v-very strong regional anesthesia... i-it would only take a small amount to i-induce numbness in a r-rather large area... The other w-was a general anesthesia that c-can cause the r-recipient to fall unconscious v-very quickly if a large enough dose w-was administered. I u-um... also found out that one of the syringes was missing as well..." Tsumiki clenches the hem of her apron and squeezes her eyes shut. "I-I'm sorry! That's all I could find! I d-didn't meet your expectations did I?" She starts sobbing again, rubbing at her already red cheeks and irritating them further. Komaeda places a hand on her shoulder.

"No, no, don't cry Tsumiki-san. That was great. It was exactly what I needed." Komaeda smiles warmly at her, and the flow of tears slows down.

"R-Really?" She looks at the luckster hopefully, cheeks tinged pink.

"Really." Komaeda gives he shoulder one more gentle squeeze before going to enter something on the ID. When Gundam finds the nurse's eyes focused on him, he feels the edge of his mouth twitch up.

"Excellent work, timorous one. I believe this will aid us greatly in our upcoming adversity." Gundam nods at Tsumiki, making her smile gently.

"Th-thank you!" She blurts out. She then goes to cover her face with her hands, mumbling something about being too loud. Gundam glances at his Student ID when it buzzes. '_Missing Inventory: Two anesthetics, as well as a syringe, are missing from the pharmacy._'

"Hey. You." Kuzuryuu points at Tsumiki with one of his hands. The other lays, palm up, on the blanket. Blood pools in his palm and begins to dribble off the edges, staining the blanket. Tsumiki glances over, squeaking in surprise. She reaches into a bucket Gundam somehow didn't notice before, pulls and wrings out a rag, and begins dabbing the blood away. Komaeda catches sight of it and raises an eyebrow. Gundam narrows his eyes.

"Hey... Kuzuryuu-kun... Why is your hand bleeding?..." Komaeda asks hesitantly. Kuzuryuu looks at him like he's stupid.

"The hell do you mean 'why is it bleeding'? It's bleeding cause I was fucking attacked." Kuzuryuu huffs. "I went to the damn park to eat my lunch and suddenly I get sneak attacked by some fucker. I got no idea who it was. Got me from behind too, the coward." The gangster snorts angrily.

"You... went to Jabberwock Park for lunch? Why didn't you just have lunch with us?" Komaeda looks at him in confusion.

"Cause I think you guys suck eggs. Ask weasel boy over there. He saw me." Kuzuryuu motions to Gundam with his free hand. Gundam clenches his fist angrily.

"Yes. I did see him earlier. When the lithe one and I left to get ingredients from the supermarket, he was there, claiming to have come for some lunch. And also that he wasn't eating with us anymore." Gundam crosses his arms, glaring at Kuzuryuu. The gangster sneers back at him.

"Hmm... Interesting..." Komaeda snaps a picture of Kuzuryuu's wounded, and now clean, hand. It has some deep scrape marks along the palm, and there seems to be a large amount of blood coming from his index finger in particular. With a satisfied nod, Komaeda enters his findings into the Student ID. Two entries pop up. '_Kuzuryuu's Testimony: Kuzuryuu went to Jabberwock Park to have lunch, but was attacked and knocked out when he got there._' '_Kuzuryuu's Hand: Kuzuryuu's hand is in a much more wounded state than his body, covered in thick scrapes and a deep gouge on his index finger._' "Can you look at this to make sure it's accurate, Kuzuryuu-kun?" Komaeda holds his Student ID up to the gangster, open to the two entries. Kuzuryuu takes a minute to read the entries over.

"They're fine. I guess. I don't see why you need that shit about my hand though." He snorts.

"Just a... formality? I don't know. It seems important though, right Tanaka-kun?" Komaeda looks over to Gundam for support. The animal breeder shrugs.

"If you think so, fortuitous one." Gundam just crosses his arms, keeping his gaze focused on Kuzuryuu. The gangster glares back.

"Attention, attention!" The monitor in the pharmacy lights up with an image of Monobear, his voice blaring through the speaker. Gundam hears Nidai mutter an 'already?'. "I think you bastards have poked around enough! If you're ready for a School Trial, say 'I'! Hahahaha! Meet me at the Monobear Mountain! You know, the one we met at last time? Oh boy, I can't wait! I'm sure it'll be... _electrifying_! Upupupu..." The monitor shuts off with a click. Gundam sighs. Nidai shakes his head and helps Kuzuryuu to his feet. Komaeda comforts Tsumiki. The five of them exit the pharmacy and begin their trek to the central island, the courtroom, and yet another trial.


	20. Act 2: Postgame Analysis

"Hnn..." Gundam, along with the four he had left the pharmacy with, stops in his tracks when they see the very first arrival to Monobear Mountain. Hinata stands with his hands in his pockets, thumbs hanging out. His arms have ugly red marks and rope burns crisscrossing on the exposed skin, and his shirt is ripped in a few areas where the chain must have snagged the fabric. He notices them after a few moments.

"Ah... You guys..." Hinata narrows his eyes before snorting. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with." After a few stunned moments of silence, Komaeda clears his throat.

"Um... nothing against you being here, Hinata-kun, but how _did_ you get out?" The luckster asks hesitantly, taking a step towards Hinata.

"Monobear. He cut me down, blabbered something about mandatory trials and you guys not coming for me, then walked away. The dick actually made me untie myself. Like, what the hell?" Hinata scoffs. "Now can we... not talk? I got used to the silence." Komaeda backs off, and Gundam glares at Hinata, who either doesn't notice or just ignores him. Togami, Mioda, Sonia, and Hanamura come onto the beach after a few minutes. Togami looks surprised and angry when he sees Hinata.

"Who let you out?" The imposter stomps up to the boy, grabbing his shoulder. Hinata turns to shoot Togami a half-lidded stare.

"Monobear. Now stop touching me." Hinata brushes Togami's hand off of his shoulder and goes back to staring at the sky, which is now a deep orange tinged with purple. Togami looks stunned for a moment, before sighing in annoyance and turning away. Sonia walks over to Gundam, eyes watering, and grabs his arm.

"Tanaka-san... I am... sorry we could not adhere to our plan of making curry rice." The princess sniffs sadly. Gundam shakes his head and places a hand on her's.

"Do not apologize. Unless you are the murderer, which I seriously doubt, then it was not your fault." He ruffles her hair, and Sonia sighs, leaning into him and mumbling something into his scarf. Gundam just lets out a quiet breath and places a hand on her lower back, rocking her gently. They wait around for a minute, when Gundam hears what sounds like an argument. He looks around the group. Only... Saionji and Koizumi are not present. Which means... His suspicions are confirmed, somewhat, when he sees four figures approaching. In reality, it's more two figures dragging two other figures. Gundam squints, trying to make out their identities. It's... Saionji and Monobear. The figures they drag along are Koizumi and Monomi respectively. Now that they're a bit closer, Gundam can make out their argument.

"Maybe if you would have just _come_ when the announcement came on, I wouldn't have had to come and get you!"

"Just don't touch her!" Saionji protectively holds Koizumi's hand, pulling along the stunned photographer. Koizumi has something tucked under her arm. Monobear, rough as always, drags Monomi across the ground by her ears. The rabbit yelps something about how 'that huwts!'. When they finally arrive at the group, Saionji and Monobear stare each other down for a while before they both turn away at the same time with a child-like huff. Koizumi approaches Gundam, nearly backing off when she spots Sonia in his arms. The photographer pulls herself together, taking one last timid step.

"...Here." Her voice is quiet. She holds out the thing she was carrying, a wad of fabric that turns out to be his jacket. That's right, Gundam remembers, he had given it to her on the night they played the game. Koizumi silently turns away, not even letting him thank her before trying to turn away. It's a bit awkward due to the princess attached to him, but Gundam manages to twist himself and reach out, laying a hand on the photographer's shoulder. Koizumi stiffens up, but glances back at him anyway.

"..." Gundam stares into her eyes, orbs that had been filled with fear only an hour ago. They're just... sad now. "Thank you."

"Yeah. Whatever." Koizumi shrugs off his hand, heading back over to Saionji and taking her hand again. The dancer glances back at Gundam, San-D and Cham-P poking their heads out of her kimono. Gundam shrugs at her.

"Alright alright! Enough moping around! Let's get to the trial, shall we?" Monobear cackles, making that weird snapping sound that he somehow can make without fingers. The air and the ground rumble as the mouth of one of the stone Monobear heads rumbles open. The escalator slowly extends, coming to a rest on the sand. It reminds Gundam of a bloated tongue. Togami is, once again, the first one on. They file onto it one by one, Komaeda the last one on. As they ascend, Gundam's thoughts drift to the victim. Akane Owari. Was it really just today that they were horsing around in the parking lot of the Rocketpunch Market, hauling bags of food to make some dinner for everyone? As he rides the escalator into the Monobear's mouth, Gundam wonders who won't be leaving. The escalator brings Komaeda in, and the mouth snaps shut, shaking the air. Lights flash on, and they find themselves in the elevator again. There's more room this time, something Gundam isn't grateful for. The rickety elevator jumps into motion, and the students stare solemnly at the floor or the walls or the ceiling, anywhere but each other. Eventually, the elevator comes to a rickety stop, groaning with the effort. The doors slide open, revealing the court room. It appears Monobear styled it differently. The ground is concrete, like that of Jabberwock Park. A few palm trees hang out on the fringes of the room. From the walls hang tapestries that look like the night sky.

"Okay then! Get to your places, you bastards! I'm itching to start!" Monobear drags Monomi over to his throne. He ties her up and strings her up next to the ornate chair, climbing into it himself. As they file into their spots, Gundam finds himself staring at Souda's picture. It, like the other three dead kids, is X'd out. But unlike the others, the bars of the X are made with a crossing screwdriver and wrench. Gundam sneers at it. He doesn't look to his left. He can't bear the sight of Owari's photo.

"Alright! As much as I love to see you guys debate, I think we need a quick once-over of the rules!" Monobear reclines in his throne. "The goal of this school trial is to find the culprit and vote for them! If you correctly identify the culprit, the innocents 'win' and the culprit gets executed! But be careful, because if you guess wrong, everybody except the culprit gets executed and the culprit gets to leave the island. Hooray! Let's begin."

"Fine. Let's start by making sure everybody is on the same page." Togami crosses his arms. "Let's make sure we understand our motive. The game."

"What is there to misunderstand? We all played it, did we not?" Gundam sighs.

"That's true, but maybe we _should_ go over it, just in case anybody forgot." Komaeda says. "So... what should we talk about first?

"We'll start easy." Togami huffs. "The game is undoubtedly non-fiction."

"Huh? How do you know, Byakuya-chan?" Mioda puts her hands on her trial stand, leaning forward.

"You can't take my word for it?" Monobear chuckles from his perch.

"Shut up." Togami glares at him, then turns back to the others. "Not everyone saw the special prize, I believe. They were photographs of scenes from the game. Real photographs. There was one of the flower pot, and one for each of the dead girls. Tanaka and Nidai can verify for me." The animal breeder and the coach glance at each other.

"It's true." Nidai says quietly.

"This leads us into the next point. The characters." Togami says. "Are we all in agreement that Tsumiki, Saionji, Mioda, Koizumi, and Kuzuryuu are the characters that appeared in the game?" He glances around, receiving a few nods of agreement.

"Okay, hold on. The hell are you guys talking about?" Hinata stares in confusion at the other kids. "Game? Motive? Characters? I have no idea what the heck any of this means."

"It's not important." Togami shoots a glance at Hinata. "For you anyway."

"Gee, thanks for making me feel special." Hinata snorts, leaning against his trial stand.

"...Anyway. I wanted to make this point because I wanted to point out a very obvious and likely potential culprit." Togami snorts, directing his gaze towards the silent photographer. "Isn't that right, Koizumi?" She 'eep's quietly, but stays silent, staring at the ground.

"Hey! There's no way it could have been my big sis Koizumi!" Saionji glares at Togami.

"Oh really? Because I believe it was entirely possible. In fact, I believe Koizumi is one of, if not _the_ most suspicious candidate. She not only had no alibi all day, but was seen leaving the scene of the crime before the body was discovered." Togami glances at the dancer. "You can't tell me that isn't suspicious."

"Sure, grandiose one, it is suspicious." Gundam crosses his arms. Saionji glares at him, but he just lays a hand on her shoulder. "But, yes, let us say we are going off of the fact that she has no alibi. There is another, should we ignore Kuzuryuu and Hinata, that has no alibi. And that person is you."

"Hah. You seriously think _I_ would murder someone?" Togami scoffs. "Are you kidding me?"

"Is it not the perfect guise? Make claims that you are the one that wants to prevent murders, keep the group together, when really you are the one plotting our downfall?" Gundam slams his hands onto his trial stand for emphasis. "You said it yourself. Our worst enemies are the others around us. _You_ included. You are not absolved of suspicion simply because you are our leader."

"Enough!" Togami glares at Gundam, harshly cutting him off. "It wasn't me."

"And why should we believe you?!" Gundam roars back. "You are awfully quick to cast blame! It could be you! It is possible for it to be you! You have no evidence otherwise!"

"I told you, I was on the second island all day!" Togami shouts. "I didn't leave!"

"Where is your proof?" Gundam snorts. "You have none. Because you were alone."

"Stop! Just stop." Togami cuts him off, slicing his hand through the air. "This is getting us nowhere."

"Let's... talk about something else..." Komaeda chimes in. He chuckles nervously. "How about... Um... How they carried out the murder. Or, maybe more specifically, how they administered the anesthesia."

"Perhaps they caught Owari-san unaware, then stuck her with a needle and administered the medicine." Sonia offers.

"Or maybe, bang! They shot her with a tranq gun! Bang bang!" Mioda mimes out a gun with her fingers. Gundam rolls his eyes.

"They probably fed the stuff to her." Kuzuryuu scoffs. "That retard woulda eaten anything."

"B-but a-anesthesia is meant to be administered directly into the blood stream. A-at least these kinds were..." Tsumiki hesitantly corrects.

"Whatever. I didn't ask you, did I?" Kuzuryuu glares at the nurse, who bursts into tears. Gundam mulls over the options. Did any of them really work out? Not really...

"Hold on." Komaeda gently grips his chin, stopping the conversation. "Tranquilizer gun..."

"Yeah! Like the kind with tranq darts! Like in movies where they take down lumbering elephants in the sunny savannah!" Mioda places her hand over her eyes, like she's blocking out the sun. An idea hits Gundam and Komaeda at the same time.

"Darts!" The turn to each other, then to Sonia. Komaeda holds himself back for a moment, turning to face Tsumiki.

"Tsumiki-san. You said that one of the anesthetics, an uh... area one or something, was strong enough to numb a large area, right?" The luckster asks.

"U-Uhm... yes... that's true. You wouldn't need m-more than a drop... I-I think..." Tsumiki nods. "Wh-why?"

"Hear me out here, because this may sound kind of crazy." Komaeda clears his throat. "So Sonia-san found something very interesting at the crime scene, didn't you Sonia?"

"...I did?" The princess glances around in confusion.

"The darts." Gundam cuts in. "The ones we asked you to hold onto. Remember?"

"Oh!" Sonia pulls out the two darts. An image of them pops up onto the big screen. "These?"

"Hold on." Hinata stops them. "Are you two _seriously_ attempting to suggest that the murderer used these darts to administer anesthetics to Owari? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I mean, sure, there's blood on the darts. But so what? Why wouldn't they just use something else? Or even use the anesthesia at all?" The boy stops, snorting and crossing his arms. "Sounds like you're grasping at straws already. Sucks."

"Now you listen here." Gundam jabs a finger at Hinata, who glances over, annoyed. "It makes sense that they would want to impair the gymnast in any way possible. And do you want to know why? Because they fought. They were fighting. And who is a more ferocious fighter than Owari?"

"Nidai. I've also heard that you and Kuzuryuu aren't bad as well." Hinata rolls his eyes. "What's your point? They made her numb with some sort of anesthetic so that they could make it easier on themselves to inject the other one?" Hinata mulls it over. "That's not a bad idea, actually." He shakes his head.

"Okay." Togami raises his brow. "Lets say they _did_ use these darts as a sort of way to 'weaken' Owari. How?"

"With a tranquilizer gun, of course." Komaeda says.

"...And _where_ did they get a tranquilizer gun?" Togami snorts at the luckster.

"Well... I don't think they got one. I think they made one." Komaeda smiles.

"Wha-wha-wha-whaaaaaaaa?!" Mioda gasps. "They made a tranq gun?!"

"Okay. So here's what I think happened, pertaining to the initial anesthesia." Komaeda clears his throat. "Tanaka-kun and I didn't check the dart gun out very thoroughly, but the barrel was changed, that much is obvious. So say they swapped barrels, perhaps modified the insides a bit. Then they could launch throwing darts out of the toy dart gun. Not far maybe, but they just needed a bit of extra range, to reduce Owari's damage. That's what I think, anyway. It may sound unlikely and strange and impossible, but I think that's exactly what happened."

"You kidding me, man?" Kuzuryuu says, cringing. He tries to hold back a cough, failing. After a watery coughing fit, the gangster continues. "That's so dumb."

"I think so too, Kuzuryuu-kun. But it's really the only explanation for the dart gun we have thus far." Komaeda shrugs. "I'd gladly take another for why it's there." Kuzuryuu just grunts angrily and turns away.

"Um... quick question." Hanamura timidly raises his hand. "Where did this medicine stuff come from? I uh... didn't do a very thorough search of the second island..."

"The pharmacy on the second island." Togami states simply. "...What were you doing then?"

"U-Uh... That's not important? Hehe..." Hanamura chuckles nervously. "L-Lets get back to the trial, right?" Togami squints at him, but just sighs and lets it go.

"What about the other one?" Koizumi chimes in. "There were two anesthetics, right?"

"Ah, right." Komaeda nods. "The other one, that caused unconsciousness. That one's pretty easy, I think. There was a syringe at the crime scene. At least, I think it was a syringe. I ah... broke it." The luckster rubs the back of his neck. "But yeah... I think all they needed to do was have the syringe prepped with a sufficient amount of the anesthesia and they'd have been set."

"Well now that we've got that out of the way, let's discuss something a touch more important." Hinata places his hands on his trial stand, leaning forward. "Why?"

"That answer is simple as well." Gundam says, crossing his arms. "They knew what they were getting into. And that would be a fight they could not win without help."

"So you're saying they planned Owari's murder? I find that unlikely." Hinata throws a glance at Owari's picture. "I mean, Owari was way too nice to just start fights like that. Kind of. If someone wanted to draw her attention away from them so they could murder her, all they had to do was literally just give her something to eat." Hinata snorts and shakes his head. "No, they definitely weren't planning on killing Owari."

"So who were they going to kill, Hajime-chan?" Mioda cocks her head curiously.

"Seriously?" Hinata groans pressing a palm to his face. "Kuzuryuu. They were trying to kill Kuzuryuu." He turns to the gangster. "That's right, isn't it Kuzuryuu? Why don't you tell them about it?"

"You're damn straight." Kuzuryuu smirks. "I went to the park to have lunch. Suddenly, someone attacked me from the back like a coward. Knocked me out too. Guess I'm lucky that that Owari 'saved' me, huh?" Gundam narrows his eyes. Something doesn't seem... right about this.

"...Pff." Saionji blows a raspberry into the air. "That's interesting and all, big bro Kuzuryuu, but if they were going to knock you out and then kill you, why bother with the whole anesthesia fiasco?" She giggles tauntingly, shooting an angry glare at him. "I smeeeeeell a liiiiaaaaaar~"

"Liar? Liar?!" Kuzuryuu slams his hands down onto his trial stand, then winces and starts coughing. "Screw what you think. I'm not lying."

"She brings up a good point, Kuzuryuu-kun." Komaeda crosses his arms, looking skeptically at Kuzuryuu. "It wouldn't make much sense for someone to bring something they weren't going to use for a murder. It just adds to possible evidence."

"The hell are you asking me for?" Kuzuryuu glares. "I have no idea why this psychopath did what they did. All I know is that they tried to murder me."

"They're making a pretty good point, Kuzuryuu." Togami says.

"Are they?" The gangster snorts angrily.

"Yes." Gundam grunts. "They are providing reasons that show you are a filthy liar."

"Oh yeah?" Kuzuryuu, with some effort, puffs out his chest and stares Gundam down. "How so? Show me."

"What kind of person brings supplies that they are not planning on using?" Gundam crosses his arms. "They are only opening their opportunities to foil their own plan."

"Yeah yeah yeah," Kuzuryuu cuts him off. "Komaeda already said that. Why don't you give me some proof that I'm suspicious?"

"Fine." Gundam sneers at him. "Your wounds. You were undoubtedly in a fight? And with whom, one might ask? That is a simple question to answer, is it not?" Gundam chuckles morbidly and jabs a thumb at the picture next to him. Owari's. "The victim."

"You're saying _I_ fought her?" Kuzuryuu winces, placing a hand against his chest. "That's... the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

"K-Kuzuryuu-san, c-calm down! Your wounds... m-might open up again..." Tsumiki stutters out.

"Hey! Don't defend him!" Saionji puts her hands on her hips and glares at the nurse, who bursts into tears with a waterlogged 'I'm sorry!'.

"That makes sense..." Hinata nods. "Kuzuryuu is the only one that shows any sort of wounds, and his especially look like he's been in a fight. Nidai, the only other one that could have made it through a fight with Owari without getting brutalized, was covered the entire day."

"You kiddin' me?" Kuzuryuu glares at everybody else. "It wasn't me. You need proof. Solid, hard proof. None of this speculation bull crap. Can _any_ of you fuckers give me some solid evidence? Huh?" He crosses his arms and waits. Gundam puts his mind into overdrive. Surely there must be something... They sit for a few moments in silence. Kuzuryuu scoffs. "Yeah. That's what I thought. Now how about we talk about the _real_ culprit. It _was_ you, wasn't it, Koizumi?" He smirks when the photographer tenses up. "What do you have to say about that?"

"I..." Koizumi glances at Owari's picture. "I-It wasn't me."

"Feh. Liar." Kuzuryuu spits out the accusation.

"Hey! I said don't bully my big sis!" Saionji practically screams at Kuzuryuu, who just rolls his eyes at the dancer.

"If it wasn't her, then certainly she can provide some proof as to why it wasn't. Because I don't believe her for a second." Kuzuryuu snorts.

"I-I..." Koizumi stutters, at a loss for words. Gundam stares at her. Could she really have done it? He thinks back to her running away from Jabberwock Park. The fear in her eyes... was it the fear of getting caught? No... it was the fear of getting _blamed_. Gundam clenches a fist. It had to be Kuzuryuu. There... was really no one else. Now all he has to do is prove it. Gundam notices that the gangster is still running his mouth.

"-nothing. And if you have nothing, then that puts you as the most likely candidate." The gangster puts a hand on his hip and shakes his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Should have covered your tracks better." Gundam stops listening for a moment. Covering their tracks... covering his tracks... would have been impossible. Yes! That's it!

"No... No I have something!" Koizumi hastily reaches into her breast pocket, pulling out a waded up piece of paper. "S-See here?" She unravels it and hands it to Hinata, who reads it out loud.

"'Meet me in Jabberwock Park at six fifty. We're going to talk about this game.'" Hinata scrunches up his face, likely at the mention of the game he has no knowledge about, and hands the note back.

"That? That's your proof?" Kuzuryuu laughs, then clutches at his chest and takes a wheezy breath. "Urf..." He clears his throat, then continues. "That's not proof."

"What do you mean, it's not proof?" Saionji snarls at Kuzuryuu. He laughs again, weaker this time.

"I mean, she could have written that herself. Just to cover up. There's no proof that somebody else wrote it."

"That's true." Togami sighs. "Just because she got a note doesn't mean she's innocent."

"That _is_ far from falsehood." Gundam, finally having formulated his thoughts, cuts through the slight silence that had followed Togami's words. He catches Koizumi's hurt gaze in his direction and smiles at her. "However, I believe that the murder is not in fact the righteous one."

"Yeah?" Kuzuryuu cuts him off. "Then who could have done it?"

"Perhaps if you would have let me finish, I would have told you that there is one very likely candidate for this murder." Gundam presses his lips into a straight line, staring Kuzuryuu down. He waits a few moments to build suspense, then throws his arm out, directing his index finger at the gangster. "You!"

"Me?" Kuzuryuu sneers at Gundam, scoffing. "I thought we just went though this. It couldn't have been me. Nobody has any proof oth-"

"Stop!" Gundam interrupts him. "There is one _glaringly_ obvious point, one so obvious that it is easy to overlook. Extremely easy."

"Oh... You've figured it out too, Tanaka-kun." Komaeda crosses his arms, sly smile on his face. "Yes, he's absolutely right. I think you uh... talked a bit too much, Kuzuryuu-kun." Kuzuryuu shoots an unsteady glare at both of the boys.

"What are you two going on about?" Togami glances at them.

"It's simple, really, Togami-kun. The fact that there was evidence at the crime scene shows us that it couldn't have been Koizumi-san." Komaeda nods at the photographer. "If we use a bit of logic and a touch of clarification from Monobear, we can confirm our murderer." The rest of the group, sans Gundam, stares at the luckster like he's crazy.

"...The heck are you talking about, Komaeda?" Hinata shoots the boy a particularly confused stare.

"First things first. Sorry to go into technicalities here, but uh... Monobear? Monobear!" Komaeda waves to get the bear's attention.

"Zzz... Snrk!" Monobear wakes up with a start. "Eh? What? What's going on? Have I been sleeping?" A few annoyed groans resound through the students.

"Um... I have a question." Komaeda scratches the back of his head. "So, about the body discovery announcement. It's three people, right?"

"Yup!" Monobear happily reclines, paws behind his head. "Three students must find the body for the announcement to come on!" The bear leans forward, suddenly suspicious. "...Why?"

"One more question. Does the murderer count as one of those three students?"

"..." Monobear frowns. "..." They all sit in silence for a moment before Monobear groans. "Ugh. No. The murderer doesn't count as one of the three."

"Ah. Thank you." Komaeda smiles again. "So let's think about this for a moment. Kuzuryuu was at the scene of the crime. But whether or not he knew that the body was there is irrelevant. Because Koizumi came from the park. Which means she saw the body. Then Nidai and Tanaka saw it. According to Tanaka, he was the person that triggered the announcement. Now this leaves us with two scenarios." Komaeda crosses his arms. "One, Koizumi is innocent, and she, Nidai, and Tanaka are the three to have discovered the body. Two, which is a lot more unlikely, Togami came by at some time, told nobody about the body, and left. Koizumi revisits the scene of her crime, and meets Nidai and Tanaka on the way out." The room is silent. Komaeda just keeps smiling. "You didn't leave the second island, did you Togami-kun?" Togami sneers, but shakes his head.

"Excellent. Now let's move into the other point." Gundam smirks. "The evidence. There are two things at the crime scene that show something very important." The animal breeder flourishes his coat dramatically. "The broken syringe and the dart gun! Tell me, you foolish mortals, would _you_ leave evidence behind?" More silence.

"Bullshit." Kuzuryuu starts quietly. "That's bullshit! Bullshit!" He slams his hands on his trial stand, face going red. He winces when his hands impact the wood, but doesn't stop. "What the hell kind of proof is that? Leaving behind evidence? Are you kidding me?"

"It's not bovine feces!" Gundam shouts back. "You left behind evidence, not because you wanted to, but because you had to! You could not leave the scene! Because you were too injured from your feud with Owari!"

"I don't believe that for a second! You can't prove I had anything to do with that stuff!" Kuzuryuu hollers back.

"That, you imbecile, is where you are wrong!" Gundam snorts, turning his head defiantly. "You are undoubtedly linked to one of the items found at the scene, one you have no business being connected to. Unless... you are the killer!"

"And what's that, huh?"

"The dart gun, you fool!" Gundam's statement stops Kuzuryuu cold. "Mioda. Tell him about the dart gun."

"Eh?" Mioda cocks her head. "The fun toy Ibuki found in the bushes?"

"...Yes." Gundam presses a palm to his forehead. "The toy."

"Oh! Well, Ibuki found a pretty cool gun in the bushes. Not normal, the shooting barrel looked very, very, very not right! It was all bent! And when Gundam-chan took the gun from Ibuki, gasp!, her hands were smeared with blood!"

"Yes, thank you." Gundam stops her before she can go on about something unrelated. "Now, timorous one, tell us about a certain wound that we found was the only thing that was exsanguinated enough to show a loss of a lot of blood."

"U-Um..." Tsumiki stops to think for a moment. "Th-there were some really deep gashes on Kuzuryuu-san's hand... I-It seemed to be the only thing bleeding a-at all, i-if we consider Owari-san's s-state as well..." Kuzuryuu tenses up.

"Thank you, Tanaka-kun." Komaeda nods. "And since the dart gun was the only thing covered in blood, I think it's safe to assume that Kuzuryuu-kun was the one using it."

"...Alright. Hold on." Hinata holds out a hand. "Someone just... go through this supposed murder plot. Just to make sure we're all on the same page here." Komaeda nods.

"I'll do it." The luckster clears his throat and begins.

"Well let's see... Everybody, except for Hinata-kun and Kuzuryuu were at breakfast today. After breakfast, Sonia-san made plans for everybody to host a 'curry day' of sorts. Well we all went our separate ways. Me and Sonia-san met everybody except for Togami-kun, Kuzuryuu, and Koizumi-san. We gathered them up and brought them back to the restaurant. We all ate lunch together. Then Owari-san left for a run. This is where the murder plot began. Our murderer had apparently collected supplies, both from the pharmacy and from the supermarket, and began setting up in Jabberwock Park. They had their modified dart gun, with their anesthesia-soaked darts and a syringe full of a different anesthetic. I think they were planning on killing or framing Koizumi-san, as they had likely sent the note she has. Owari-san must have gone by the park on her run, because... well..." Komaeda stops, taking a breath.

"Okay. Around six-thirty, thirty or so minutes before Koizumi-san arrived, the murderer engaged Owari-san in a fight. They were both competent fighters, as seen by the wounds they both ended up harboring. The culprit fired off a few shots from their modified dart gun into Owari-san. This must have slowed her down slightly. Now once she realized what was going on, she probably kicked the gun out of the culprit's hands. This is what caused the wounds, the plastic handle and trigger scraping deep gashes into their hand. But now that their range was gone, they had to get in close. They somehow managed to stick her with the syringe and inject the other anesthesia. She was probably unconsciousness within moments. Wounded too much to do anything on their own, the culprit had to use the one thing at their disposal to finish of Owari-san. The game machine. They... smashed her head into it and electrocuted her to death. They then collapsed from their wounds, not five feet from the murder they had committed. Anyone else would have taken their evidence and fled the scene. But the culprit couldn't because they didn't leave at all. Around seven o'clock, Koizumi-san arrived on the scene. Startled by what she saw, she tried to run away. It's here that she met Nidai and Tanaka, who saw the body and set off the announcement, putting us here..." Komaeda frowns. "And who is this culprit, you may ask? Well... it's the one person that was found alive at the scene of the crime. Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu." Komaeda finishes with a sigh. Kuzuryuu glares at the others.

"You... dipshits don't really believe that. Do you? Why would you?" Kuzuryuu grips his trial stand. He leers at the other students, but nobody meets his eyes.

"Ooh? It seems our trial has stalled! Let's get to voting then!" Monobear cackles, which is followed up by the collective ringing of every Student ID. Gundam pulls his out and turns it on. It goes straight to the voting screen. He doesn't hesitate to tap Kuzuryuu's picture. The screen goes blank. After a moment, the big screen lights up with the slot machine with spinning wheels. When they eventually slow to a stop, they all display Kuzuryuu's face. The screen and the Student IDs let out the same happy fanfare, and Monobear cackles. "Nice job, bastards! The murderer of Owari-san and the second contestant in our fabulous game of Mutual Killing was none other than Kuzuryuu-kun! That puts an end to this _criminally_ short School trial!"

"What is wrong with you?!" Togami marches out of his spot, looming over Kuzuryuu. The gangster stays staring at the ground. "I thought I told you I would take care of things! You didn't have to go and do something rash!"

"Then maybe you should have done a better job!" Kuzuryuu whirls around, glaring at Togami. "You don't know me at all. I just learned my fucking sister died! Right after I lost Peko! How do you think I feel?! Huh? Did you consider that for a damn second?!"

"Yes! I did!" Togami clenches his fists.

"Then maybe you didn't think hard enough." Kuzuryuu lets out an angry puff of air and turns away. "You don't know how I work. How we work. The yakuza, when one of our own dies by somebody other than us, do you know what we do? No? That's because you lived some pompous life where you sit around in a leather chair all day stuffing chocolates down your fat throat. I'll tell you what to do." Kuzuryuu, despite just being voted to die, grins. "We get _revenge_. And since we already murdered that idiot Souda, I needed a bit more revenge to even out what was left. And who better to get revenge on than the bitch that was linked to my sister dying?" Koizumi tenses up in her spot. Kuzuryuu glares at her. "Yeah. You."

"I... I didn't... I don't... remember that... I-It couldn't have been me, I-"

"News flash." Kuzuryuu stops her. "It's your fault. It's your fault that my sister is dead. It's your fault that Satou girl from the game is dead. It's your fault that Souda is dead. Hell, it's your fault Owari's dead too. And now it's your fault I'm going to die." Kuzuryuu laughs morbidly. "You've got five heads on your hands. How you gonna deal with that, huh?"

"It... it's not my-" Koizumi protests.

"No, it is." Kuzuryuu snots. "That stupid girl wouldn't leave me alone. She got to the park and just would. Not. Leave. And for my damn plan to work, she had to not be there. So I had to get rid of her. I'm not picky. And don't you dare tell me that you didn't vote for me or Souda." He glares, making Koizumi wilt under his gaze.

"Cease your words!" Gundam shouts. "You taint the air with your vile accusations. I demand that you do something vital for your reputation." Kuzuryuu raises an eyebrow, making Gundam shakes his head. "...And that would be to shut the _fuck_ up." Saionji winces when Gundam swears. He rarely ever does it.

"Oi. How about _you_ shut up?" Kuzuryuu shakes his head. "I'm done talking to you assholes. Monobear, get me out of here."

"Sure thing, Kuzuryuu-kun! I think you'll enjoy your special punishment, tailored just for you! Who's ready... to begiiiiin? Ahahahahaha!"

* * *

**A Heart of (Fool's) Gold**

_ Kuzuryuu stands at his trial stand, when a plastic tube descends over him. He glances around in confusion as a pale green gas floods the rest of the room. A few of the students try to hold their breaths, while others simply drop after taking a deep breath of the smog. The last one standing is Togami, who glares at Kuzuryuu before he too slumps to the floor. Monobear's laugh is the only sound in the room as Kuzuryuu's trial stand descends into the ground. The screen in the room lights up with a live video feed, which begins recording as soon as the other students begin waking up from the knockout gas..._

_ Kuzuryuu walks solemnly down a dark street with his hands in his pockets, rain pattering lightly against his head and shoulders. He looks healed, fit, and alert. Something catches his eye, and he turns to find men in trench coats, fedoras, and Monobear masks streaming out of an alleyway. He spins around. The men come from every doorway. Every car. Every nook and cranny big enough to hide in. He clenches his fists, a cocky yet sad grin on his face. He knows it's the end. One of the men reaches into his trench coat and pulls out a pistol and some extra clips, tossing them to the gangster. Kuzuryuu catches the pistol, looks it over, hefts it in his hand, sticks the extra ammo in his pockets, and flips the safety on the gun. Within a second, three of the Monomen lie on the asphalt, rain splattering against them. Kuzuryuu fires more shots into the others, barely dodging shots from the guns that the living ones now hold. Once, he runs out of bullets, but jams his hand into his pocket and pulls out a fresh clip. Kuzuryuu pops the old one and jams the new clip in. His reloading causes him to be left open for just long enough. He takes a bullet to the arm, to the legs, to the chest. But he still stays strong. He takes hit after hit, but continues to pop bullets into his enemies. They drop like flies with wet thumps until only one remains. Kuzuryuu fires a shot into their leg, causing them to collapse to the ground. He smirks, standing over his final adversary. His eyes dance with hope. He levels the gun at their head, saying something inaudible. That's when the Monoman takes off his, or rather her, mask. Kuzuryuu gasps. He finds himself staring at a blonde girl, seemingly only slightly younger than him. Despite his bleeding, bullet-riddled self, Kuzuryuu helps his sister up. They smile at each other. And then Kuzuryuu's smile drops when the cold barrel of a revolver presses up against the bottom of his head. He stares at her in disbelief. She just grins devilishly and pulls the trigger three times. Blood fountains into the air, and Kuzuryuu stares at his sister until his eyes glaze over and he falls to his knees, pistol clattering out of his hands. His lips move, looking almost like he's mouthing 'Peko', before he hits the ground. Kuzuryuu's sister soundlessly laughs, her left eye glinting red, and all of the Monomen get up and casually brush themselves off. Two of them grab the dead gangster and carry him into an alley. The rest of the Monomen stalk away, including Kuzuryuu's sister, leaving only a puddle of blood for the rain to wash away and a pistol that was filled with blanks._

* * *

"Wowee, how about that, huh?" Monobear guffaws gleefully, waggling his feet. Still groggy and confused from the knockout gas, Gundam pulls himself to his feet with the help of the trial stand. The other students manage to get to their feet as well.

"Get out. Just... get out." Togami dismisses Monobear with a shaky wave of his arm. Monobear cackles.

"Sure thing, Togami-kun! Just remember to exit the trial room when you guys are done despairing, alright? Remember, voluntary sleeping is only allowed in designated areas~" And with that, Monobear hops off of his throne, snickering, and walks away, disappearing. They sit around the room, some of them splayed out on the floor. Others stand at their stands. The silence is deafening, and Gundam thinks he may just do something about it when Togami clears his throat.

"Let's go. There's no point in moping around." The imposter sadly shakes his head and marches towards the elevator. Gundam soon follows, and shuffling behind him tells him that the others are close behind. Togami counts off as they settle into the elevator, frowning when he notices they're two short. "Who are we missing?"

"C'mon... Big sis Koizumi... please..." Saionji half leads, half drags Koizumi to the elevator. She strains to get the photographer to follow her. Koizumi just stares ahead emptily. The dancer eventually gets her into the elevator, glancing over at Gundam and Komaeda. "...Okay. Go. Hurry up." She narrows her eyes at Togami who just sighs and hits the elevator button. The doors shudder closed, and the students sit in yet another smothering silence as the elevator groans with the effort of carrying them back up. Gundam just crosses his arms. To think that Kuzuryuu... even someone like him... The animal breeder shakes his head. Awful. He feels a soft nuzzling against his neck, glancing down to find two of the Dark Gods attempting to comfort him. He smiles, despite the situation. The elevator stops with a pained squeak and they all pile onto the escalator, letting it carry them down to the beach. They split up the instant they get off the escalator, everyone going their separate ways. Gundam catches up to Saionji and Koizumi, the photographer still staring at nothing with glassy eyes. Komaeda appears beside him with a sigh.

"I can't believe it." The luckster shakes his head. Gundam nods in response. The animal breeder places a hand on Saionji's shoulder, and the two hamsters inhabiting her kimono scamper up and out, fleeing into Gundam's scarf. The four walk in silence all the way to the hotel. Just as they're about to part ways, Koizumi says something too quiet to make out. Komaeda cocks his head, frowning in concern. "I'm sorry?"

"...During the trial. You... and Tanaka. You were... smiling... Why?"

"..." Komaeda glances at Gundam. The animal breeder shrugs. Even he isn't sure what came over him. "Well... I think I'm really only speaking for myself here, but... I smiled because I was scared." With a nod of finality, Gundam walks away, heading to his cabin. Komaeda follows him, and they enter the dark cottage together. Gndam just plops himself onto the bed and closes his eyes, asleep the moment his vision goes dark.

**End Act 2, Island of Broken Promises...**

**Remaining Students: 11**


	21. Act: Two Point Five

"Shit... shit... shit..." Hagakure mumbles, frantically hitting the enter key on the keyboard over and over. "Oh shit."

"Would you stop saying that?!" Asahina cries out, grabbing at his arm. The fortune-teller tilts his head back, groaning, and glances at the fifteen screens. Another two had gone blank a little while ago. He had tried to get a hold of Naegi or Kirigiri, or hell, even Togami. But they wouldn't pick up, leaving him to have to rely on Fukawa and Asahina. Not optimal, in his opinion.

"What do you want me to do, Asahina-chi?!" Hagakure frantically glances at the swimmer.

"I don't know!" The swimmer wails, staring in horror at the remaining eleven screens. Hagakure finally decides to hit a different key on the keyboard, which lights the big screen up. He grabs the mouse, finally able to do something besides smash at keys, and clicks one of the icons on the desktop. A window pops up, and Alter Ego glances around in confusion.

"Eh?" The AI glances around, eyes coming to a rest on Hagakure and Asahina. "Oh! Hagakure-kun! Asahina-san! Hello! What did you need from me?"

"Wh... wuh..." Hagakure stops to think for a moment. "Um... wuh... what's the status on that uh... virus thing?"

"Huh?" Alter Ego tilts its head, before frowning. "Oh, you mean the virus in the New World Program. Well, it's still wreaking havoc on my servers, and it's messing up a lot of data still. I recently received two large influxes of scrambled data too... Why do you ask?"

"C-cause it happened again! Two of the kids in the program just died!" Asahina shouts, panic written all over her face. Alter Ego looks surprised.

"Oh no... Again? I'll try to get into contact with Naegi-kun..." The window minimizes itself, and the two survivors glance at each other. Fukawa scurries into the room a moment later.

"Fukawa-chi?" Hagakure looks at her in confusion. The literary girl puts her hands on her knees, panting.

"Th... The thing..." She stutters out.

"The... thing?" Asahina asks.

"Quiet! I w-wasn't done!" Fukawa shouts out, glaring at Asahina. The swimmer squeaks and hides behind Hagakure. "The satellite dish is b-broken..."

"What again?" Hagakure frowns at her curiously. "I thought we fixed it like... three days ago."

"We _did_, you ding dong." Fukawa glares at him. "But it broke again. The parts those technicians used w-were crap."

"Damn it... I guess this explains why we can't contact Naegi-chi..." Hagakure scratches the back of his head.

"Um... I have an idea." Alter Ego chimes in, window popping up. The three jump in surprise and spin around to face the AI. "You could use the lightning rod on the other side of the roof. The part of the satellite dish that is damaged uses similar components. Plus, the chance of storms in this area is a dismissible zero point eight four seven three percent."

"Th-that would have been helpful three days y-you know..." Fukaway rolls her eyes, crossing her arms and hugging herself.

"That's true... sorry..." Alter Ego hangs its head.

"Naw, it's fine, Alter Ego-chi. Let's go tell those technicians." The fortune-teller jogs out of the room, happy to be away from the morbid atmosphere there. Fukaway quickly dashes after him.

"...Will they be okay, Alter Ego?" Asahina looks forlornly at the eleven screens still active, showing all of the remaining students sleeping.

"I hope so, Asahina-san." Alter Ego sighs, minimizing its window and going back to doing whatever it was doing before. Asahina sighs and walks out of the room to follow Hagakure and Fukawa.

* * *

"Yeah... Okay... Thanks..." Naegi snaps his phone shut, grabbing at his head with his free hand. He stands in the hallway on the forty-seventh floor of the Future Foundation's headquarters.

"Who was that?" Togami, who leans on a wall nearby with his arms crossed, glances at Naegi.

"Hagakure-kun. He said..." Naegi feels a lump in his throat, pushing it down. "He said it happened again. Another kid died and yet another was executed." Togami just shakes his head and scoffs. "He also said the technicians took apart the lightning rod on the building and used it to repair the satellite dish so they could call us. He wants us to get a new one."

"Are you fu-" Togami cuts himself off, gritting his teeth angrily. "Does he realize how much time and money it would take to get one like that, especially with half the world still in ruins right now? That was a high-tech piece of equipment."

"Yeah, I know." Naegi sighs. They both turn as the door to the meeting room slides open, Kirigiri confidently striding out. "Kyouko-san. How did it go?"

"..." Kirigiri stares out of the nearby window before sighing. "They still want the despair kids dead."

"Well lucky for them, another two just died in the simulation." Togami rolls his eyes.

"Wh-" Kirigiri looks at Naegi in disbelief, gasping when he nods in affirmation.

"Yeah. I just got a call from Hagakure-kun."

"Oh, Makoto..." Kirigiri walks over to him, and the former luckster wraps his arms around her. Togami clears his throat.

"So if we're done here, I suggest we get going. I want to get back to Jabberwock as soon as possible, we all know what those three dolts are capable of doing, and that's just by themselves. When we're watching." The heir shakes his head, pulling himself up, and walks down towards the stairs, hands in his pockets. Naegi glances at Kirigiri, who stares back at him. They share a gentle kiss before going to follow Togami.

* * *

"Uh oh..." Monobear stares at a door on the hospital's second floor. "Ooooooh... Hmm..." It shivers and twitches with corruption, folding and melting and dissipating before reforming into the door it was before, then starting over. "This can't be good..."

"Howawawa! Wh-what did you do?!" Monomi cries out in horror, suddenly behind the bear, staring at the door.

"It wasn't me! It was like this when I found it... Hmm..." Monobear leans out to touch the door. The instant he touches it, it flares white, then dims black, then balances out, becoming a uniform grey. Some sort of dust floats around it. Monobear pokes one of the dust motes. It hits his 'fur' and immediately sprouts into a small plant. Monobear grins devilishly. "Ooh. I like that... This could work."

"W-Work for wh-what?" Monomi timidly takes a step back.

"For our next motive, of course!" Monobear throws back his head and cackles. "I know you do love a good motive, Monomi-chan!"

"N-not one of yours!" The rabbit cowers when Monobear raises a fist at her.

"Quiet, you." Monobear makes the snapping sound again, and the dust motes still in the air flow backwards, sticking to the door. They shrink. "There we go! I've just ah... added a special little touch to them. I'm sure you'll love it!"

"Wh-what did you do now?..." Monomi stares at the door.

"You'll see... Hehehe... Upupupupu..." Monobear grabs Monomi by the ears, dragging her down the hallway, making the rabbit cry out. As if harmonizing with the rabbit's wails, the timer in Jabberwock Park lets out a high-pitched squawk, steam blowing out of its sides. It wails for the murder it saw performed in front of it, and for the potential of murders to come...

**16 Days Remaining...**


	22. Act 3: A Fate Worse Than Death

**Author's Note: **I was so psyched to get to this act (and the next one) you guys don't even know.

* * *

ACT 3: Begin

**A Fate Worse Than Death**

"Ghh..." Gundam pulls himself out of bed. Pulls being a stronger word that necessary. It's more accurate to say he flops out of bed, collapsing onto the floor, and pulls himself up from there using the chair at his desk as an assistant. A snoring draws his attention, and he sees Komaeda draped over the edge of the bed, sawing logs. A sound pings through the air, and Gundam glances at the monitor in the corner of his room.

"Attention, ye of little faith! This is an announcement from the Hope's Peak Field Trip Committee. It's seven am, another perfect tropical day! Enjoy it while you can! Upupu..." The announcement cuts out with a gentle hiss of static. Gundam sighs and runs a hand through his fizzled hair. He shrugs off his jacket, shirt and pants, and reluctantly removes his scarf. The Four Dark Gods of Destruction chitter curiously at him from their bookshelf perch. Gundam salutes them wearily, then heads into his bathroom. He cranks up the hot water and steps in, letting the heat scald him. It reminds him that this is just a simulation. That Owari and Pekoyama and Souda and Kuzuryuu are still alive. Probably. He hopes. The animal breeder runs his hands through his hair, letting the wet strands stick to his skin, and groans angrily. How could he have let this happen? Gundam pounds on the wall a few times with his fist. How could he have let them die? Shaking his head, Gundam roughly grabs the shower handle and turns the water off, letting the excess water run down his body, dripping from his fingers, hair and nose. The animal breeder throws the shower curtain open and grabs a nearby towel, using it to dry himself. With a sigh, Gundam wraps the towel around his waist. He trudges back into the main area, grabbing his shirt and yanking it over his head. He carefully pulls on his pants, wraps his scarf around his neck, and puts on his jacket. Gundam hangs the towel over the back of the chair, leaving it there to dry, and wakes up Komaeda.

"Get up." He shakes the luckster, who sits upright with a start, mumbling something about hope.

"Eh? What's going on? Can I have eggs benedict?" Komaeda rubs his eyes with his fists and yawns, shaking his head. "Oh... uh... hi, Tanaka-kun."

"Eggs benedict?" Gundam just raises an eyebrow.

"Haha... yeah... I guess I've just been craving some food that's a bit more exotic that what we normally have for breakfast. Maybe we should get Hanamura to cook for us again, eh?" Komaeda chuckles and lets Gundam haul him to his feet. Gundam holds his hand out, and the Four Dark Gods leap down, landing gracefully into his palm, scampering away into his scarf. The pair head out of the cottage, the sun beating down on them pleasantly. Gundam shakes his head. If that Monobear was right about one thing in the entirety of his miserable existence, it's that today _is_ a beautiful day. They tromp to the restaurant silently. The only sounds of the late morning are the chirping of frogs and insects, and the far-off sound of waves hitting the shore. Nobody else is out. Gundam hesitantly pushes the door to the hotel open. Nothing. Nobody anywhere. He glances at Komaeda, who shrugs. That's when he hears something... familiar coming from the restaurant. It sounds like... crying? The animal breeder carefully stalks to the stairs and sneaks up them, Komaeda right behind him. Gundam finds himself staring at something very... disturbing, to say the least. Nekomaru Nidai sits at one of the tables that is usually filled with food. He arranges a modest assortment of things, from flasks of what appear to be protein shakes to stacks of dirty plates. A shoe, one of Owari's it seems, is among the clutter. Gundam and Komaeda stare at the coach as he makes what appears to be a shrine of sorts for the fallen gymnast for what seems like hours until he leans back, stares at it, and hangs his head. Gundam feels a pang of sadness for the man, and walks up the last step into the restaurant. Unfortunately, the final stair makes a horrid squeaking sound as Gundam's foot settles on it. Nidai whirls around in surprise, horror written across his face until he sees who it is.

"Oh... Tanaka. Komaeda. Good morning. You ah... caught me at a bad time." The coach shakes his head, a sad smile on his face, and wipes away a few tears. "I just..."

"No, no, it's fine, Nidai-kun." Komaeda walks over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Nidai tears up again, grabbing Komaeda and pulling him into a bear hug. The luckster makes a quiet sound of surprise, but lets the coach squish him. Nidai bursts into tears. While Komaeda comforts the man, Gundam looks over the apparent shrine for Owari. It's rather modest, just an assortment of things the coach must have though she would like. A stack of plates, one of her shoes, a bag of what looks like barley and rice. There's also a small bowl of potpourri, a small plastic dumbbell from the supermarket, and two thermoses that look like they're filled with protein shakes.

"I... I just wanted to do something for her... A-A going away gift." Nidai sniffles, laying his chin on Komaeda's head. "I... I feel like... it's my fault."

"It's okay Nidai-kun. It isn't your fault. We understand how you feel. Right, Tanaka-kun?" Komaeda looks to Gundam for help.

"Yes." Gundam nods. "The loss of the lithe one was a truly audacious blow to our morale. I wish she was still present with us, to be frank." He folds his arms. "One can only hope that her now ethereal form makes it across the Great Divide, into the pastures of ever-present joy... May she allude abyss of darkness..."

"...Yeah." Komaeda somehow worms his way out of Nidai's iron grasp. "I'm sure Owari's fine, wherever she is."

"You're right!" Nidai stands up, stretching his legs. "This is no time to be crying! I think I'll go for a run to rejuvenate myself." Nidai jogs over to the stairs, but turns to the pair standing near the shrine. "Ah... Thank you for talking to me."

"No problem, Nidai-kun." Komaeda smiles. "That's what friends are for." The coach smiles back, then leaps down the stairs. Komaeda turns to the tiny shrine for Owari, smiling dreamily.

"...Why are you smiling like that?" Gundam raises an eyebrow, leaning backwards.

"Ah, Tanaka-kun... Don't you think it's amazing that despite all this tragedy, everyone is still trying their best to become friends?" The luckster sighs happily, and Gundam makes a face at him.

"Sure." Gundam shakes his head and sighs, plonking himself down into his normal seat. A quiet thumping from the stairs reveals Saionji and Koizumi. The dancer marches over to Gundam, plopping herself in Sonia's normal seat. Koizumi sighs and sits down next to her. "...Can I help you?"

"We're sitting here now." Saionji says simply, crossing her arms. Koizumi nods.

"Okay." Gundam shrugs, turning to Komaeda, who's across the table from him. The luckster responds with a shrug of his own, and faces Koizumi.

"Koizumi-san, are you alright? The trial was kind of rough for you, and it kinda looked like Kuzuryuu's words got to you. I was just worried abo-"

"I'm fine." Koizumi cuts him off with a curt, dismissive wave. Komaeda looks startled. "You really think that some stupid accusations from someone like him would affect me? I'm fine. Now go back to doing whatever boys like _you_ do in the morning." She turns away from him with a haughty huff. Saionji looks confused for a moment before turning to talk with the photographer.

"Uh..." Komaeda looks around, unsure of what to do.

"Leave her be." Gundam snorts, raising an eyebrow at the redhead. She glares back at him. The animal breeder shakes his head and turns to look at Komaeda. They start up a conversation about nothing, distracted a couple of minutes later by a tromping coming from the stairs. They turn, finding Togami. He grunts at them, taking his normal place at the top of the stairs, leaning against the banister.

"Oh! Hello Togami-kun. I was wondering where you were. You're normally here first." Komaeda smiles at the false heir, who scoffs dismissively.

"Yeah. I was doing something important. I'll tell you when everyone gets here. Although I suspect we'll have a bit of an interruption during our meeting..." The imposter trails off, staring out the window. Gundam snorts and gets up to get a plate of food. Togami's eyes wander, and end up falling onto the small shrine made by Nidai. He raises an eyebrow, walking over to it. "...What is this?"

"Oh." Komaeda scratches the back of his head. "Nidai-kun made that. He... misses Owari."

"...Hmph." Togami shakes his head. "That's a waste of good barley and rice." He doesn't say much more, mumbling something about talking to the coach, and heads back to his spot at the stairs. Koizumi mutters something to Saionji who snickers. It takes about half an hour, but the others eventually start filtering in. Sonia comes up the stairs with Mioda, and is confused about the fact that Saionji is in her seat. She glances around like she's in the wrong place, then slowly makes her way towards Gundam, sitting on his other side. The musician herself happily trots over to Komaeda, plonking herself down next to him and interrupting his conversation with the animal breeder, blabbering something about music. Gundam frowns. Hanamura arrives with Tsumiki, saying something that sounds suspiciously like a direct plan to get under her skirt, stopped only by him noticing Togami's presence leering at him from the top of the stairs. The imposter glowers at Hanamura until the cook sits down next to Mioda at the table, saying something about the relationship between music and mood, especially in the bedroom. Komaeda shoots him a look. Tsumiki sits next to Komaeda, glancing away from him nervously. Komaeda just laughs and invites her into the conversation he's having with Gundam and Mioda. Nidai finally arrives, eyes lighting up when he sees everyone eating at the same table. Togami stops him before he can head over to the table, talking quietly about something and pointing at the shrine table a few times. Nidai manages to control his volume, speaking quietly back to Togami. One final creaking from the stairs causes everyone to turn. Hinata stands at the top of the stairs, staring out at the twenty eyes set on him.

"...What?" He waves a hand around, then scoffs dismissively. "Whatever." Hinata marches over to the food table, glancing suspiciously at the tiny shrine for Owari, and gets some food for himself. He then heads over to a table in the corner, plopping himself down. Komaeda gets up to go over to him, but Gundam grabs the boy's sleeve and pulls him back down. The luckster glances at Gundam, sighs, and sits back down.

"Well well well, aren't you bastards looking hopeful this morning? Looks like I'll have to step up my game..." Not a moment later, Monobear is standing on the shrine table, arms behind his back. His smirk is a bit more knowing than normal.

"Called it." Togami snorts, crossing his arms. "Why don't you tell us about how you opened up the third island for us to explore?" He lets out a falsetto gasp, gruffly snorting and turning away. "Oh, did you want to tell them that? My bad."

"Jeez Togami-kun." Monobear hangs his head. "Ruin all of my fun, why don't you?" The bear shakes his head and sighs. "Do you want to tell them of my motive, too?" The others turn to glance at Togami. The imposter just rolls his eyes.

"No. I don't know what it is. But if it's as stupid as your last motive, I'm sure that we'll be able to dismiss it rather easily." Togami snorts, glare boring into Monobear.

"Oh?" Monobear begins to sweat, pressing a paw to his forehead. "You wound me, Togami-kun. And here I thought we were becoming closer friends too? Don't you want any of Monobear's Despair Shards?" Togami scoffs. "But anyway, I don't think that's too important anyway. And if my new motive _is_ like the other one, don't you think it will end spectacularly as well?" Monobear snickers evilly. "Ah well, happy trails! And remember, keep despair close to your heart! I know how much you bastards love to. Upupupu..." The bear snickers, falling backwards off the table and disappearing.

"You explored the new island without us?" Koizumi turns to glare at Togami.

"Not explored. More like made a preliminary survey. I was just making sure the area is safe. We can explore together after breakfast." Togami states simply, going back to standing silently by the stairs.

"Hmph." Koizumi turns back to Saionji.

"The third island, huh?..." Komaeda strokes his chin in thought.

"Oh boy, Ibuki can't wait!" The musician grabs Tsumiki's shoulders and rocks her roughly. The nurse wails loudly, flailing her arms as Mioda laughs. The other students spring into conversation about the new island. Gundam plays with Cham-P, stroking the god's soft fur in thought. The third island. He doesn't remember it that well. He knows there's a hospital, a music club, and a motel. He's not sure about the rest. Togami shoves something into his mouth, then swallows and clears his throat.

"Alright, we've wasted enough time here. Get up, let's go." He stomps down the stairs to the hotel.

"Wait for Ibuki, Byakuya-chan!" Mioda springs up, keeping her hold on Tsumiki's wrist, and sprints after the imposter, whimpering nurse in tow. Hanamura and Nidai scurry after them.

"Well that's that, I suppose." The remaining five at the table turn to see Hinata stand up and wipe his hands on his pants. "I'm not going." He scoffs and heads out of the restaurant. Gundam hears him plod down the stairs and slam the door when he exits the hotel.

"Ugh. That boy, thinking he can just do whatever he wants. And Togami too, thinking he can just order us around all the time. C'mon Hiyoko-chan." Koizumi gets up, Saionji quickly following suit.

"See you later, nerds!" Saionji grabs Koizumi's hand, pulling the photographer along.

"...I think I'll go after Hinata-kun. I don't want Togami-kun to yell at him..." Komaeda scratches at his nose, shrugs at Gundam, and heads out. Gundam shakes his head and sighs.

"Well then. I suppose we should get going, huh Tanaka-san?" Sonia gives him a strained smile.

"...Yes. Let's make haste." Gundam poses dramatically, heat rising to his cheeks when he feels the princess take his hand. "Wh-! I-I thought I warned you of my toxic blood, safe to only the bravest and hardiest of souls, perilous to all others!"

"...Maybe I'm not normal then?" Sonia giggles quietly.

"Hn..." Gundam grunts, hand like a limp fish in the princess' grip. She squeezes it lightly.

"I just thought that it would be hella cool if you explored the new island with me." Sonia smiles up hopefully at Gundam, and sweet lord how is he supposed to say no to that smile? Gundam sighs, gaining feeling back in hand and squeezing back.

"I suppose you are one not of this realm... A lady of darkness, perhaps?..." Gundam chuckles. "Yes, it would only make sense that such a being would be able to grace the flesh of one that has caused thousands to perish from but a touch."

"Yay!" Sonia cheers, pulling him along. "Let's go then!" She tugs Gundam along, down the stairs and out of the restaurant. The sun lightly beats down onto the pair as they run to the third island.

* * *

"...A movie?" Gundam crosses his arms, staring the bear down. He, Sonia, and Togami stand in the movie theater lobby in front of the front counter.

"Yup! Free of charge!" Monobear laughs and puts his feet up on the counter, reclining in that ridiculously tall stool he sits on.

"And why would we want to go see your stupid movie?" Togami snorts.

"Well..." Monobear rights himself, scratching the back of his head. "Er..." He slumps, staring sadly at the ground. Suddenly, he has an idea, righting himself and grinning- more so than normal anyway. "Because it's mandatory! Mandatory school activity!"

"Are you kidding me?" Togami groans angrily, smacking himself in the forehead with his palm.

"Look on the bright side!" Monobear chirps. "There is a large assortment of theater snacks to quench your ravenous hunger!" Monobear motions to the almost empty glass cabinet, holding a single, lonely chocolate bar, and the popcorn machine that holds popcorn that probably went stale days ago. "It's a shame that my biggest potential customer died though... Hmm..." The bear taps his chin in thought, then shrugs. "Oh well."

"We are not going to take part in the observation of your disheartening film." Gundam frowns at the bear.

"Augh, me feelings." Monobear grabs at his chest. "Well if you don't want to watch it _that_ badly, then I suppose you could just buy this!" Monobear reaches behind him, grabbing something that rests next to the strange bag on the otherwise empty counter. It's a sticker with Monobear on it, reading 'Apologies for being such a chump' in large, pink letters. "I'll let you off scott free! Just 1.5 million yen!"

"1.5 _million_?" Sonia gasps, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Surely you jest!" Gundam leans back, horror etched onto his face.

"I wouldn't pay _one_ yen for that piece of garbage. Hell, you'd have to pay me to take that stupid thing." Togami scoffs. "Fine. We'll watch your stupid movie."

"Splendid!" Monobear claps his hands, scuttling over and opening the only other door besides the exit. The three walk into the dark theater room. Gundam glowers at Monobear as he passes him. The bear just shrugs. As they enter, the door swings shut, the only source of light being the projector hitting the screen, casting an eerie white glow over the front of the room. Togami leads the two over to the front row. The theater is small, containing only sixteen seats arranged in rows of six. Gundam plops himself down into a seat next to Sonia, Togami sitting down with a bit of difficulty on her other side. The chair groans in protest and Gundam snickers. Sonia grabs Gundam's arm as the projector whirrs to life, throwing a picture onto the screen.

* * *

_Monobear stands in a town, happily walking along. He and everything else look like sloppy paper cutouts. 'Monobear lived in a village.' The screen reads. 'And he thought it sucked eggs. Like, rotten eggs. Holy cow you wouldn't believe how bad these eggs sucked. Almost as bad as you bastards.' Monobear walks along into what looks like a large body of water. 'One day while taking a break from thinking about how much his town sucks, Monobear decided to go for a swim.' Monobear begins swimming, when a whirlpool appears under him and begins spinning him around. 'Suddenly, a freak whirlpool appeared, sucking poor, innocent Monobear into it.' Monobear spirals down, disappearing from the screen. It goes black._

_ 'Monobear awoke on a shore in a mysterious land. He decided that it was his time to start fresh.' Monobear, on a sandy beach, stands up and begins walking until he runs into a tree. He lamely punches it and it falls apart into squares. 'He found that this new world bent the strings of reality. Wow, Monobear says, I could get used to this.' Monobear picks up all the wood blocks and lays them out in the shape of a house. He goes inside, the sun in the background sets and rises again. Monobear comes out with a sword made of wood and a cap on his head. 'One day, Monobear decided to go out and explore. As he was walking in the forest, he found a wounded plant person. "Help me." said the plant person. "I fell from the tree."' The screen shows a withered bush laying on the ground. Monobear leans back and bobs up and down. 'Monobear laughed at the plant person, kicked him, and left.' Monobear's leg swings into the plant man and Monobear walks away._

_ 'Next, Monobear was trekking through the tundra.' It shows Monobear walking over a white block, probably the ground, with snow falling from the sky. 'Here, he met a village that was freezing cold. '"Help," the people said. "We were trapped here and can't leave." Monobear just told them to kill themselves and left.' The screen shows Monobear waving his sword around angrily and walking away._

_ 'Finally, Monobear was walking through another village of poor sods. One of them turned to Monobear and screamed for help.' It shows a person, about the same height as Monobear, waving their arms around frantically. '"Help!" The person said. "A holy fire is burning down a house!"' Monobear heads over to find a house burning. He dashes inside. 'Monobear, our valiant hero' the screen says, 'ran into the house. He saw two people burning, grabbed some money that was on the table, and left. Monobear laughed at the villagers and exited the village.' It shows Monobear laughing, the villagers crying, and Monobear exiting the screen._

_ 'On his last leg of the journey, Monobear found himself in a cave.' Monobear walks along, only a small circle of light around him. The rest of the screen is black. 'Suddenly, giant spiders attacked, killing poor, innocent Monobear.' Giant spiders jump out of the darkness, landing on Monobear. The screen goes red, then black. Finally, it shows Monobear lying on the beach, a doctor standing over him. 'It turns out, Monobear's adventure was just a dream induced by inhaling too much water. A doctor revived him.' The doctor helps Monobear to his feet. Monobear reaches behind himself and pulls out a piece of paper. The doctor takes it, reads it, and slumps down, walking away sadly. 'Then, Monobear sued the doctor for malpractice and won, of course.' The final scene shows Monobear sitting on a golden throne, old people swarming around the base of it. 'Monobear used the money to buy the town and make everyone his slave.' The screen goes black and the words 'The End' appear on the screen._

* * *

"Tadaaaaa!" The lights in the movie theater come back on, and Gundam blinks away the spots that come to his vision. The theater is a lot... fancier than he gave it credit for. It was hard to see in the darkness, but the seats are a nice gold and red color, and there's an ornate balcony at the back of the room. Monobear jumps off of said balcony, landing happily in front of the three students. Gundam rubs at his eyes to make sure he actually saw what he just did. "How'd you like it?"

"In Novoselic..." Sonia begins, timidly playing with the bow on her dress. "creating something such as this in quality can get you jailed for life."

"I would rather gouge my own eyes out, eat them, and pay for my own medical bills, just to not see a movie that bad again." Togami folds his arms, glancing back at the screen in disgust.

"..." Gundam glances back at the screen as well, before turning back to Monobear with a frown. "I hated it. It was truly a sight that would make even the most horrid and vulgar beings cringe in repulsiveness. I wish to smite the world before another tragedy such as that should ever come to exist."

"Eesh, tough crowd." Monobear grumps. "If you guys didn't like it, all you had to do was say so." Monobear makes that weird 'eye rolling' motion before slipping behind one of the seats and disappearing. The three stand staring for a moment before Togami clears his throat.

"Alright. Get going." He grabs Sonia and Gundam's shoulders, pushing them towards the exit. They walk out to find Hinata talking with Monobear, the unamused former staring down the sweating latter.

"Don't be like that, Hinata-kun." Monobear wipes his forehead.

"Shut up and give me the damn sticker." Hinata holds his hand out and Monobear reluctantly trots behind the counter, grabbing the sticker and slapping it into Hinata's hand. They both turn to stare at the three kids coming from the theater. "Oh. It's you guys."

"Would you guys believe it?" Monobear seems to cheer up slightly. "Hinata-kun bought my sticker! He doesn't have to watch the movie now!"

"..." Gundam stares at him in disbelief. "You... purchased the bribe?"

"Hinata, are you serious?" Togami shakes his head with a scoff.

"Whatever, I didn't come here to get scolded by you two." Hinata snorts, shoving the sticker into his pocket. "I came because Tsumiki wants Tanaka at the hospital." This gets a few raised eyebrows from the others and a mischievous snicker from Monobear.

"Me?" Gundam asks, glancing around.

"No. The other Tanaka." Hinata snarks and motions for the animal breeder to follow him. "Yes you, idiot. Come on."

"Go." Togami waves Gundam off, much to his chagrin. "I'll stay here to make sure the others watch the movie. And to make sure _you_ stay here." Togami turns to glare at Monobear, who starts sweating again.

"Ah, Togami-kun! Wanting to spend some quality time with your principal? I'm touched!" Monobear sighs happily, making Togami snort. Hinata groans and walks out of the theater. Gundam and a confused Sonia follow him.

* * *

"You wanted me to look at this?" Gundam asks, arms folded.

"Hey! You're not the only one here, you know. Have some respect." Koizumi puts her hands on her hips. Gundam just snorts.

"U-um... Yeah..." Tsumiki nervously fiddles with her hands. Gundam stands on the hospital's second floor with Saionji, Tsumiki, Koizumi, Hanamura, and Sonia. Gundam has no idea where the cook came from, to be completely honest. He just sort of appeared.

"...It's a door." Gundam says, staring at said object. Nothing is really abnormal about it, aside from its rather strange coloration difference, being the only gray door in the hallway, and its odd lustrous sheen.

"Y-Yes, th-that's true. B-But I-I think there's... something wrong with it..." Tsumiki nervously stutters out, pointing a timid finger at the door.

"Pff. It's just your imagination!" Saionji snickers. "Your little piggy imagination!" Both Koizumi and Gundam shoot her a look, making her pout and mutter a half-hearted apology to the nurse.

"I fail to see what's wrong with it." Gundam snorts.

"Maybe we should check it out." Hanamura says curiously.

"It _is _rather peculiar. Investigating would be a good idea, I think." Sonia remarks. "As we say in Novoselic, 'Get the goat before the goat gets you'."

"...Hmph." Gundam reaches out, grabbing the doorknob. As he twists it and pushes the door in, a thin sheet of what looks like mold sloughs off the front, hitting the ground and exploding into a cloud of dust. Gundam starts coughing as a rather sizable part of the cloud gets into his mouth. It tastes gritty and dry. He hears another source coughing as well, and when the dust clears, he finds himself covered in a whitish powder. Koizumi, Sonia, and Hanamura are also coated with the stuff. Saionji and Tsumiki managed to avoid getting hit simply because they were behind Koizumi and Gundam respectively when the door was opened.

"Tanaka!" Koizumi howls, wiping some of the gray dust off of her face. "What have I _told_ you about being careful?! Now look what happened!" She stomps her foot angrily, sending up a gentle puff of the stuff off of the ground.

"See here! I-" Gundam stops to cough, a tiny cloud of the dust coming out of his throat. "I was not aware that the door was coated in a vile substance scraped from the rocks of hell itself!" Gundam glances as Hanamura coughs up another cloud of dust.

"Um... I don't think we should be fighting. It seemed like an accident, yes?" Sonia, who seems to have protected her face with her forearms, wipes the dust off of her.

"Hmph." Koizumi brushes away some of the dust caking her skirt.

"I-I-I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to get you guys all dirty!" Tsumiki wails, reaching out towards Gundam. Saionji wraps her arms around the nurse's waist and pushes her backwards.

"Eew! Don't touch them! They're all dirty!" Saionji snickers.

"In more ways than one." Hanamura raises his eyebrows, yelping and coughing out a cloud of dust when Gundam swats the back of his head. "Ouch!"

"Enough. Let us go get clean." Gundam, walking awkwardly so as not to shake too much of the weird dust from his clothes onto the floor, stalks out, Sonia and Hanamura following. Koizumi considers for a moment, then reluctantly follows them. Saionji turns to Tsumiki, devilish grin on her face.

"Wanna play the sweeping game?" Her eyes glint menacingly, making Tsumiki wail.

"N-no!" The nurse cowers.

"Okay! I'll teach you! The tune goes like this: One, two, three, four!" Saionji mimes out sweeping, swinging her arms with each number. On four, she grabs Tsumiki's hair and tugs on it, making her squeak out again. "Get sweeping before I start counting again!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Tsumiki scurries away to find a broom, Saionji happily trotting after her.


End file.
